Daley Addresses RTA Lawsuit, Tip-Toes Around Racism Issue

By Amy Perry in News on Jan 9, 2010 6:00PM

Mayor Richard Daley was hesitant to make racism an issue as he spoke about the federal civil rights lawsuit accusing Illinois Department of Transportation, the RTA and Metra of discriminating against minorities, but he does feel the CTA is getting short changed on state subsidies.

Daley, speaking at a news conference about tax relief programs for Chicago homeowners, said he “didn’t know” if race was a motive but said there's "an attitude toward the CTA" that keeps the agency from a fair chance of receiving adequate funding. According to the Sun-Times, Daley said, “I don't know what it's for. But there's really lack of funding for CTA over many, many years. I've always argued that it's unfair the way the CTA is being funded. …We serve about 50, 60 suburban areas. We move more people…than any other public transportation system in the country." He continued:

"Well, I don't know. But there is an attitude about the CTA….We move all types of people: black, white, Hispanic, Asian, male, female, young, old throughout the metropolitan area. There's a belief that the CTA has not been funding accordingly."

Unless an agreement is made by Feb. 7, the CTA may cut bus service by 18 percent, slash rail service by nine percent and lay off more than 1,000 employees. Plaintiffs state those cuts will greatly affect the Black and Hispanic riders, if nine express bus routes serving the city's South and West Sides are eliminated.

Andrew Koppelman, a constitutional scholar at the Northwestern University Law School, told the Tribune about the lawsuit, "Politically, it is quite powerful, but as a legal argument, it's a loser." Daley agrees the lawsuit will shed additional light on the funding issue, stating, “"It is drawing attention, definitely, about why aren't they funding this accordingly.”