CTA: Fewer Busses, More Desk Jobs

By Margaret Lyons in News on Oct 4, 2004 2:16PM

Look, we love griping about the CTA as much as anyone—probably more. Oh, never are we happier than when we're complaining about stinky food on the bus and the dreaded "butt pivot." And we're not suggesting that anyone could possibly make an exhaustive list of all the narsty shit people have seen/done on the bus, but…we're getting tired of this. A little. But we valiantly gallop forth on the noble Tribune steed, ready to bitch and moan with the best of them. Uh oh, somebody call the waaaaambulance. No, no, we're kidding, those are all good rules.

In actual "news" about the CTA, administrative jobs increased 107 percent between 1997 and 2002 (the last year for which data is available—uh, anyone want to get on that? New? Data? No one?). The Trib paints a pretty picture about why, too: CTA desk jobs are "a traditional enclave for City Hall patronage" and Frank Kruesi is a "longtime Daley political confidant." Saucer of milk to the Tribune building, please. Back in 1997, when Kruesi was appointed, there were 722 general administrative positions. In 2002, there were 1,495. The CTA says that that number is down to 1,049 (again with the old data), so…eat it, Tribune.

Jacqueline Leavy, the excutive director of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group, which manages the Campaign for Better Transit, offered this spot of bright intelligence in an otherwise shadowy world of bureaucratic nonsense:

"The CTA must start showing they have self-help measures...There are so many creative ways to increase revenue. But Frank [Kruesi] insists, `Either you are with us in favor of more state funding, or you are against us and you support service cuts.' The world is a bit more complex than that."

That just renewed our faith in humanity. Oh, God bless you, complex world! The CTA is holding public hearings on the proposed budget, so don't just sit there and complain: sit someplace else and complain, too.