RTA + CTA = <3, Lunch Sack
Chicagoist has grown obsessed with the CTA cutbacks, so forgive us for our anxious coverage. But this has all the makings of a lovely and suspenseful political drama, like…the Trainchurian Candidate or something. (Hollywood: call us.) The operation of the CTA is one of the most important things about metropolitan Chicago, and the whiney bitching, saber-rattling, possible scandal, tense relationship between City Hall/CTA and the state…seriously, urban government drama? You name it, we got it.
The RTA is calling the CTA's bluff on their proposed scaled-back budget. RTA board members from the five collar counties submitted a position paper Tuesday that "refuted several claims the CTA has made while trying to build support to send it more state transportation dollars and change the region's transit funding formula." The RTA doesn't want to leak money to the CTA, but the CTA's website claims funding is "currently distributed based on geographic boundaries and retail spending rather than ridership, service provided or other transit performance criteria." So they want to change it, RTA doesn’t, and the RTA has made a few suggestions, including, according to the Trib, "leasing bus lines and transit stations."
Here is one idea for helping the budget: quit giving out goodie bags. No, seriously. Chicagoist got a CTA goodie bag at work this week, after we signed up to get transit checks (hollaaaa, untaxed income). We got a CTA "vinyl lunch sack," a really good CTA map, a pen with a little bus that floats back and forth, and a "farecard holder," which is a cheap-o envelope. Thanks, CTA! We know that the cost of these gifts is like, maybe $1.50 or so, but still, it's hard not to feel like we're being told, "We're about to cut back on the bus you take twice a day; won't you please accept this vinyl lunch sack?"