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It's not just cracks in CTA buses that have our public transit overlords worried today. Once again, even in the face of record ridership and fare increases, there's another big ol' pesky budget hole to fill. The Chicago Tribune has RTA Chief Jim Reilly and Executive Director Steve Schlickman looking at the RTA having a $58 Million hole, and the CTA with $87 million to make up.
What are their fingers crossed for? What's going to save us from utter public transportation doom and destruction? (Remember, there's no Rod Blagojevich this year to put together a "rescue" finance package and ram through any free rides for seniors.) The answer comes from the Chi-Town Daily News: A statewide gas tax.
Were a gas tax to go through, a potential $2.7 billion could be funneled through to the RTA, just under half of the $6 billion they say they really need. An 8-cent-per-gallon tax hike is working its way through the Illinois house currently, which would help fund public transit. The 19 cents we already pay on a gallon of gas currently only pays for road projects. Transportation taxes always face opposition from border counties and truck drivers - how long will it be until some enterprising Illinois legislator follows Ray Lahood's lead and calls for a mileage tax? Sure, the Obama administration put the federal kibosh on it, but that doesn't mean that thoughts aren't brewing on the state level...
"Waiting..." by trippchicago.
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You know, the other day when a gas tax was discussed, lots of people on here said "good, great, let the people who use the resource (i.e. drive) pay for the road/capital projects." I wonder how drivers will feel being singled out to subsidize a service they, by definition, don't depend on. (To explain, if you are a driver, you have another option, even if it's not the cheapest/best or particularly realistic one.) I wonder if they could tax something else instead? Like entertainment or something? As far as the environmental concerns go, I AM in favor of a gas tax, but part of the reason I pay for parking and drive to work is because I have such a general disgust of the CTA and the way it is run. Anyone have thoughts on rolling back the free rides for seniors?
I know that the free rides have been discussed for elimination. I'm pretty sure it's on Pat Quinn's radar.
That said, every time the discussion about taxes going to the RTA comes up people ask why drivers might have to subsidize it. Every rider on the El, CTA buses, PACE buses and Metra riders benefit the roadways in terms of less wear and tear on the roads, not to mention all those bus/train riders not clogging the freeways during rush hour.
Were the CTA to shut down (which is a threat that gets bandied around every now and again), the increase in traffic would have drivers begging to pay for it to have it return. Public transportation benefits far more people than just those sitting on a train or a bus.
Were the CTA to shut down, Karl, many of the low-level workers who support other jobs (cleaning, food service, health care) would have few ways to get to work, causing significant harm to the economy, also causing drivers to moan.
Yes, I know many drivers have those jobs, and that many mass transit riders have higher-level jobs, but that's just one example of why people need to look beyond their tiny little selfish interests when it comes to policy. It is so tiring to hear the arguments about I-don't-use-it-so-why-must-I-pay.
I don't use Social Security. Or most national parks (funded with more than user fees). Or ... well, people should get the point.
Ok, fair enough, I get that "everyone" benefits from the CTA existing and operating, so, why shore up the CTA budget with taxes on something that not "everyone" purchases? That's more to my point.
I'm sorry but not everyone in Chicago is crazy about trying to drive in these streets. I've always felt driving a car bore too much expense on an individual, especially if that individual doesn't do that much driving. People may not be fond of the CTA and bus riding in general, but unforunately some of us need it.
If the car drivers who've been driving in coffins most of their lives would understand that, we couldn't have this class issue of car drivers vs. bus riders. Everyone who is a car driver is a check away from being a bus rider.
Perhaps they should understand that.
As an occasional driver in Chicago, I have no problem with a slight tax on gas... as long as they don't get crazy with it. I guess I'm what you call a hybrid commuter: most times I ride the bus, occasionally I drive to work, sometimes I do both (special circumstances). So I guess I would be benefitting myself to pay a bit more. But I see incndnz's point. It's like the continual taxes that were added to the habits of smokers and drinkers. They were (and are) expected to fund so much.
It's been brought up before, but I'd much rather see a London-style 'congestion tax' enacted here.
Anyone complaining about a gas tax contributing towards public transit infrastructure needs to either fork over a refund for the insane amount of money state and federal subsidies have cut out of the real cost their automotive activies over the years, or they can shut up. Things are interdependent, the end.