Results tagged “farehikes”

We mentioned yesterday morning the deal struck between the RTA and the state of Illinois which would provide enough funding to prevent a fare hike at the CTA for the next two years but wouldn't prevent the $90 million in service cuts originally proposed by the CTA. At a press conference yesterday, we got some of the details of the deal. Well, "deal" is a loose term as you'll see. The move isn't so much eliminating the CTA's debt as it is slightly reducing and really prolonging it. The Tribune breaks down the deal like so:

Today Gov. Quinn called on the CTA and Metra to not raise fares in exchange for state aid. Meanwhile, with just a little over 24 hours left in the fall session, state legislators are considering a bill that would cut back on those free senior rides that Blago forced the CTA to institute. The new bill would set a threshold that only those seniors who earn below a yearly income of $22,218 would qualify for free rides. As the Trib points out, though, Quinn didn't say if he would refuse to sign this new legislation should the CTA and Metra raise fares anyway.

While we wait to see if the CTA will indeed make good on its threat to raise fares and cut services in an attempt to close a budget gap numbering in the hundreds of millions of dollars, at least one high-ranking government official is ready to do his part. With the RTA already supporting such a measure, Gov. Pat Quinn is also giving some thought to repealing the free CTA rides for senior programs infamously instituted by then-governor Rod Blagojevich. Speaking to WGN Radio today, Quinn supported the idea of reviewing program and possibly altering it to offer free rides to veterans, active military, and seniors whose income falls below a certain threshold. Said Quinn:

As regular as the first frost of the season, so, too, does the oncoming winter also bring another tradition of recent years: a proposed fare hike from the CTA. Say what you will, at least it's not another Doomsday Prophecy. The CTA is still trying to close that pesky budget gap that may go as high as $300 million and they've outlined a new list of proposed fare hikes in a plan that was printed as an ad in today's Chicago Tribune. In addition to the fare hikes, the CTA is also proposing for a cut in service, mainly in the form of cutting back hours and nixing a few express bus routes.

During his City Council confirmation hearing, Terry Peterson, headed towards being chairman of the CTA board, said fare hikes could still be coming as the agency struggles to close a $300 million budget gap. Peterson said, "When Springfield helped out in '08, no one could have predicted where we are today. No one could have predicted the type of economic downturn. We've got to sit down with the state. We've got to go to the federal government. We're looking internally to see what management can do. [And] labor is one of our partners. They're part of this. We've got to sit down and talk with everybody." Peterson has formally served as head of the CHA, a campaign manager for Mayor Daley, and also as aldermen of the 17th ward. The City Council Transportation Committee unanimously approved the appointment, made last week by Mayor Daley.

• Stop us if you've heard this one before: so the CTA is threatening fare hikes and service cuts...
• The City Council today voted to ban baby bottles and sip cups using the chemical BPA.
• Gov. Quinn is standing by his budget and insisting there's no more room for cuts.

Some CTA news has come across the wire in the last few days. First, the truly surreal. It seems our fair transit system was honored with "Most Improved Metro" at the 2009 Metro Awards, and international awards ceremony held in London. The category aims to award the "metro who has gone the extra mile in improving their metro network in the past year." So, um, the Grand Red Line station doesn't count? The website goes on to say:

CTA riders aren't the only ones facing an impending fare hike as PACE has announced its new fares, effective January 1, 2009. Adult fares for the bus lines will increase to $1.75, a 25-cent increase for most routes and a 50-cent increase for Metra-feeder routes. One small piece of good news: neither the Metra Plus Bus Pass or the Metra Link Up Pass will increase in price.

While the CTA has seen it necessary to raise fares, Metra won't be following suit in 2009. Fare hikes might be necessary in 2010 depending on whether or not the state government gives them necessary funding. Metra's on pace to carry a total of 85 million riders this year, an all-time high. Huzzah!

Good news. NBC5 reports that with four days left to the forewarned service cuts and fare hikes on the CTA, Governor Blagoevich has stepped up with some help. He now says that he will try and find some money in "state coffers," and offered up a figure of $20 million. We realize that what he's offering is just a quick fix, but sometimes you put a butterfly bandage on a wound until you can...

We've all been talking about the CTA, their budget crisis, and what exactly will (or will not) happen if they CTA doesn't get some help from their governmental parents in the Illinois legislature. While the CTA isn't ruled by the IL government, we think this is a little like the college kid who keeps drinking hard, wasting her money, and wondering why she keeps getting into situations that don't have great consequences — thereby necessitating...

On Wednesday, the Illinois House Committee on Mass Transit approved legislation that would enable the RTA to fund the CTA, Metra and Pace and prevent service cuts and fare hikes across the board. The Illinois House Committee on Mass Transit approved a transit funding and reform proposal by a 15-4 vote. The House is expected to convene to vote on the proposal next week. This bill comes after the RTA announced that a "doomsday" scenario...

"'Cause it's Friday, you ain't got no job ... and you ain't got shit to do." Well, you can go check out the New Orleans Social Club at Millennium Park. If you aren't, here's some stuff in the news. Buckingham Fountain is slated to undergo a complete overhaul in autumn 2008. Near West Side businesses get $1.5 million in TIF money intended for keeping manufacturing jobs in the area. Does Manny Flores have the...

Here are some newsworthy items to dwell on while we still wonder why Karl Rove can't leave now. The Mercantile Exchange cuts 380 jobs as it continues its merger with the Board of Trade. St. Sabina's roof is in disrepair, forcing services to their school auditorium. A fire that killed a mother and two children in Naperville this weekend was set by the mother. Lakeshore Athletic Club is closing its 441 N. Wabash location...

While SFist cringed at the fatal dose of crime littering the Bay Area, it found solace in Hillary Clinton's San Francisco campaign headquarters opening, which featured loads of exposed mammary glands. In other news, SF Taxi Commission ruled that Satan's cab must keep its (in)famous medallion number, 666; and in an un-fashion-forward frenzy, San Francisco Fashion Week (chortle) bars bloggers from covering and getting smashed at their shows and parties, respectively. Also, they found a...

Remember how some people thought the world was flat? That was their reality, and they believed in it with their hearts and souls. Now we can look back and know with certainty they were dead wrong. Well, today Chicagoist heard about an idea that sounds positively revolutionary, one that seems practically incomprehensible. But maybe it's just because we think we are so used to thinking the earth is flat, we can't possibly imagine a round planet.

Nearly all of us agree that Frank Kruesi was a big DB that couldn't keep the CTA from being in a continuous state of CF always leaving everyone going WTF? And it was with great hope that Chicagoist saw Ron Huberman come on board with promises of administrative cuts and just not being Frank Kruesi. However, over at Time Out Chicago, our old pal, Scott Smith, posted that, yet again, the CTA is threatening fare...

Mister C, you win! Your guess of May 1 for the end of Frank Kruesi's career in our Frank Kruesi Dead Pool has won you a lovely Chicagoist T-shirt. Email Rachelle@chicago.com to claim your prize. For the rest of you — well, you can rejoice as well because the glory days of CTA President Frank Kruesi are over. Mayor Daley announced at this morning's press conference that Kruesi is retiring. Ron Huberman, the Mayor’s chief...

Governor Rod Blagojevich has tried to characterize his first administration with three pledges: No new taxes, more money for schools, and no more "business as usual." The Mell-Blago family feud has made his third pledge hard to believe, but last night's budget deal with Democratic Senate President Emil Jones and Democratic House Speaker Mike Madigan will deliver the first two pledges -- as well as avoid the CTA's Five Faces of Death, and probably close the spring legislative session by the end of the month. All significant accomplishments, considering how much wrangling Springfield has endured this year.

Remember, the CTA is not laying anybody off. They're not even cutting jobs—they're just implementing a reduction-in-force. And employees will not be fired, nor will their employment be terminated—they'll just be administratively separated from the CTA. This week, the CTA sent out 1,884 pink slips to inform some employees of their possible administrative separations, effective July 17, should the CTA not get the money they need to prevent massive service cuts, fare hikes and layoffs. Also this week, they handed out a 17-page "reduction-in-force toolkit" to their managers with tips on inform individuals that they've been given a great opportunity to search out new employment.

As Chicagoist has been posting on for almost a year, there's been a taxi fare hike in the works. Heard it over and over, right? But this time it's actually happening. Due to rising gasoline prices and increasing operating expenses, fares are going to change as follows: