Area Soldier Killed In Fort Hood Rampage
Stroger Makes Hollywood Play
Put Down Your Nanowrimo And Leave The House
Sox Shuffle Continues
Illinois state legislators are at it again today, after yesterday's close-but-no-cigar attempts to resolve the transit funding crisis. The House passed a sales-tax increase plan yesterday, but it fell one vote sort in the Senate; those so-and-sos are going to give it another go today because three of them abstained (courteously?) yesterday.
That bill would raise the sales tax in Cook by a quarter percentage point and by a half-percentage point in the five collar counties, and levy a new tax on real estate sales in the City. Blagojevich has vowed to veto that bill and has vowed to "improve" whatever bill lands on his desk, which does not inspire confidence on our part.
Another bill making its way through the legislature uses money from the gasoline tax to fund mass transit, but it doesn't do anything to fill the gap that diverting the $400 million would leave in the state budget.
What's the biggest hold-up?
Demand for a statewide construction program was a bigger problem in the Senate, where a number of Downstate lawmakers said they would not support the transit bill without the statewide construction program.
Senate President Emil Jones could only wrangle 26 of the 37 Democratic state senators to vote for the sales tax bill, and House Republican Leader Tom Cross called the bill "the Chicago power grab." [Trib, ABC 7, Trib 2, Sun-Times]
Waiting for the Blue Line by Joshua Mellin
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i gotta say, i was on the addison bus last night (after it took 25 minutes to come), and i wouldn't have wanted to walk from western to racine. then, when i was on the brown line home from addison to western, i looked at all the lines they were going to cut and identified the following buses that frankly in my life, i can't see not having. in specific, the division, foster, damen, lincoln, diversey and addison buses. i don't use them all the time, but when i need to use them, they are critical. and i've listed the downtown express buses as well, because ... what the hell is rush hour going to look like without them!!?!?
as i looked at that list, i was really stunned by how badly the city is going to be affected by these potential cuts. there are going to be people who physically can't walk or bike to the locations served by these buses, and won't have money for cabs. this is extremely dire.
these are some of my go tos:
11 LINCOLN SEDGWICK
50 DAMEN
56 MILWAUKEE
70 DIVISION
73 ARMITAGE
76 DIVERSEY
78 MONTROSE
92 FOSTER
126 JACKSON
134 STOCKTON/LASALLE EXPRESS
135 CLARENDON/LASALLE EXPRESS
136 SHERIDAN/LASALLE EXPRESS
143 STOCKTON/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
144 MARINE/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
145 WILSON/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
146 INNER DRIVE/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
147 OUTER DRIVE EXPRESS
148 CLARENDON/MICHIGAN EXPRESS
152 ADDISON
156 LASALLE
They are threatening to cut those routes on purpose because they are the most high profile and they think that they people who use them (i.e. white and upper middle class) are more likely to engage in the political process and write to legislators etc.
And I kind of wantt to say kudos to the downstaters. Even though they are kind of being assholes, they know this is their one shot to negotiate a state-wide construction program and they are taking it. Opportunity knocks...
Ah, yes, go ahead and raise my sales tax another quarter point. It'll just justify my love of online retailers.
6 county gas tax sounds the fairest. I don't see why that's such a big deal. Further, the gas tax will pay for road construction as well.
BFA: OK, what is your plan to pump more operating revenues into the RTA agencies, and perhaps even shore up capital monies?
Or, if you do not support that, what is your plan for dealing with the further decay of the region's public transit should the so-called "bailout" fail?
Please tell me you are capable of looking past your own petty concerns and grasping the larger picture.
Waiting ...
I've said it before, but if they cut some of these buses, I literally have no other options to get to work. I've contacted everyone I can contact. I don't know what else to do. And no, I don't have faith in the system.
See you in hell, CTA.
A "Chicago power grab?" Tom Cross, you are such an manipulating asshole. Die in a fire.
Remember Cross when he runs for higher state office in the near future, as seems to be his plan. We might all have a chance to vote against this prick one day.
Downstaters are right, though--a capital plan is needed for the entire state.
I'm in the same boat as Sarah. I live near Loyola and commute all the way to 73rd and Jeffery. They will be cutting the two buses that already take me an hour to get to work.
If that happens. Bye bye job, and bye bye Chicago, I'm moving back home to live with my parents.
Given 70% of the CTA costs are labor, there are some options.
1. Crush the union so you can pay people market wage. This is realistic in a blue collar town like Chicago, of course:)
2. Zone the CTA like other rail systems worldwide. It works in London/Paris where it is more expensive, and works in Hong Kong/Bangkok where it is less. These places have their own transit problems, but it is better than it is here.
It seems reasonable people riding farther pay more. You may see race complaints from 95th Red Line riders though, but basing it on distance is a fair option for everyone, be they Evanston, Loop, or South Side.
and i only listed the buses that my northsider ass uses. there's TONS of southside and 'tourist' buses i didn't put on the list.
Gas tax is probably the least fair: it makes *only* people who don't use the cta pay for it. It would be like putting a tax on fare cards and spending the money on new highways.
Why not just, you know, make the people who use it pay for it? Or does that violate the "there is a free lunch and I deserve it" sense of entitlement?
Cue whining about highway funds, [which I'm not defending], but which distract attention from this latest money grab.
From the Chicago_el LJ community:
"The Senate has just revoted on the sales tax bill. It has passed 30-25-1. It will now head to the House for concurrence, and then to the Governor's desk.
"Sen. Hendon, in a fiery speech before the vote, says he will 'demand' Blagojevich to sign the bill.
"UPDATE: The House has concurred with the bill, 62-51-1. The future of mass transit in the Chicagoland area is now in the hands of Governor Blagojevich."
WhymustIregister: Uh, the tired old argument.
Tell you what, I will pay full price for my transit when drivers do---this includes operating and capital expenses.
Fair enough?
By the way, I do support a fair increase for all the RTA agencies--hefty hikes in cash fares, 10%-15% in monthly passes, various other amounts for other passes.
Free lunch? Who the fuck is arguing for that? People just want reliable AND affordable (not free) mass transit, which, as you must know, helps drivers, too.
Can someone explain to me why senators from poor, mostly black, districts always back sales tax increases? This is the one tax poor people actually pay! Poor people pay very little income, property, other use taxes, etc... under our current system.
Wicker Parkers, Hendon is your state senator too. Try calling his office. He and his staff are bigger racists than the 1960's KKK - Alabama chapter. Yet they do things to hurt their own people. Unfortunate for all people of all backgrounds.
Sears: You are right.
Because Hendon supports a sales tax increase so poor black people can get to work, he is worse than people who supported lynching and legal segregation and had fond thoughts about slavery.
Thanks for the wisdom.
"He and his staff are bigger racists than the 1960's KKK - Alabama chapter."
Dear Sears -Stunted- Tower
Congrats. you walked stupidity to a new low.
As much as I hate Hendon, you are dumber than Hendon's blue sued shoes.
if the American system collapses into chaos, may you and your family be viciously brutalized by a group of angry Black westsiders because of your race. Then if you live, you will know will have a better idea what it meant to be Black in the 1960's during the KKK reign of terror
in Alabama, you stupid idiot
regards,
S
Ways in which public transit benefits non-riders:
- Less congestion = Faster travel times.
- Fewer automobiles on the roads = Lower maintenance costs.
- Less pollution (also = reduced requirement for cleaner, more expensive formulations of gasoline in summer)
- Less demand for fuel = lower prices for you
- Less demand for parking = lower fees
- Low wage workers able to get to work
Sears Tower is 100% right, however... the sales tax is regressive and disproportionately affects the poor.
Oh, Sears Tower is 50% right. I didn't read his/her second paragraph. Holy moly!
Jeez, Matilda I was making fun of you when I said "cue whining," and you went ahead and did it anyway.
The "free lunch" is the belief that getting you to work can cost $4.50 but somehow sell for $2.00. This is not sustainable fiscally nor politically. Coercing taxpayers into subsidizing your ride to work is going to backfire.
My prediction: within 24 months the CTA will require another "one time only emergency bailout" and exactly the same thing will happen.
Oh and Spook: In addition to being a troll and a bully, you are an intellectual midget.
You just can't cope when people post comments you disagree with,especially when they offer some insight, like Sears Tower does.
In response to a sensible observation about the regressive nature of sales taxes, all you have to say is a rant about the KKK. Somebody said something sensible: Quick! Play the race card! Accuse them of being a dittohead, a Klansman! Anything!
He and his staff are bigger racists than the 1960's KKK - Alabama chapter. Yet they do things to hurt their own people. Unfortunate for all people of all backgrounds."
The question isn't why must you register, the question is why are you profoundly and terminally stupid. I didn't bring up Klansman and didn;t bring up race your Stupid Tower did, but of course your blindness means you ignore this.
And actually I’m not even gonna say any thing else about it because to accuse me of being a bully when some idiot makes a comment like that shows that you are a moral and an intellectual midget and jack ass with the historical context of the Kool aid man
Have fun
Why: But you seem to think drivers are not getting free lunches.
That is where your idoicy comes through.
I am happy, though, to provide you joy your game of let's provoke people you don't know on the Internet. Are you lonely?
The reason the RTA (not just the CTA) need this money is because is funding structure is out of date AND DOES NOT KEEP UP WITH INFLATION. As well, it has been shortchanged in capital needs, all three RTA agencies.
Don't believe me. Do some fucking research.
ooh! You can use capitals Matilda, I'm so impressed. You also know bad words. I'm so impressed with your grown up "sentence enhancers!" Profanity makes you so much smarter than me!
The point is simple, and your failure to grasp it is hard to understand:
As long as the CTA loses money on every trip, it will be begging for scraps. It will be forever trying to get money from some politican who's constituents don't use it and don't want to pay it.
This means the system lurches from crisis to crisis, and never gets the money it needs. Far from being a way of ensuring transit funding, waiting for the legislature ensures continued poverty.
Better to run it like a business, with adequate investment for future improvements, then to run it the way it is now. Regardless of what happens today, we will be right back here in 2 years.
Sears
Ricky Hendon is an idot no doubt and a sexist from his actions in the senate no doubt but I think you may be going a bit far. I called his office and his receptionist was ignorant and curt but I got the feeling thats just how he is to everyone.
Fed Up we may not agree on most things, but at least you (even for a republican, like Jack Kemp or George Will, Kissinger, etc) don’t just say ignorant sh*t.
So what say we celebrate republican (you) and progressive (me) One Day Unity by on Election Day, going to “senator” Holly Wood Hendon’s office, and swearing to vote for the folks on his palm card. But vote our choice, come back to the officer and get the free pint of Richards, Mad Dog, Wild Irish or what ever pint he’s giving away and the free chicken dinner!
We just have to remember not to laugh when his "staffer" informs us before hand that after we vote, he will be able to tell that we voted right by the letters on our ballot receipt when we turn them in.
p.s
remember to dress like your homeless, because we don’t want any one to think were're election fraud investigators
p.p.s feel free to join us Matilda, will show Chicagoist how to really party, screw paying for drinks at bars and celebrate Hendon,one of the last hold outs and preservers of a Chicago tradition!
opps that's office not officer
Why says: "Better to run it like a business, with adequate investment for future improvements, then to run it the way it is now. Regardless of what happens today, we will be right back here in 2 years."
Really?
Ok, then tell me this:
--What is the business model?
--Why not run cops and fire and sewer "like a business"?
--Why not run free roads like a business, or even charge full-use price on existing toll roads (that is, a price that reflects the actual cost per driver of keeping up the tollroads)?
--Why did the earlier attempts to run mass transit in Chicago "like a business" fail?
--What other major mass transit runs "like a business"? I can think of perhaps two that kinda sort of do, but which still recieve subsidies. Hint: One is in Asia, and a banking license is involved.
Give me some specifics, jagoff, or go back to reading your libertarian brochures. You offer nothing in terms of any details, just some half-assed philosophy.
Change our minds with your wide grasp of this subject.
Oh, and make sure to account for the large number of riders, poor and rich and in between, that still need to use mass transit lest our economy suffer, as you craft your glorious mass transit model.
The reason the RTA (not just the CTA, asswipe) is in the hole is because we do not fund mass transit adquately in the USA, yet we do fund roads and the resulting sprawl. Again, don't believe me--actually look at the numbers regarding capital programs; bond issues; and other related outlays.
Until you have something, fuck off.
Spook,
I am always up for a free drink on ricky and you may not believe this but I would be a registered dem since I draw that ballot every primary. I even voted for clinton, bill. But past practices dont mean everything.
I even like alot of the green partys ideas but believe they will be irrelavant after committeing party suicide by possibley having cynthia mckinney as a canadate.
Fedster Up, we are gonna have to have the Cynthia McKinney( the only person to question how crack cocaine floods the urban streets so efficiently
with out any of the higher ups ever being caught,
at a later day