Chicago Sun-Times Editorial - GA first-rate mess - Chicago can't be world class with a second-rate transit system

Chicago Sun-Times Editorial - GA first-rate mess - Chicago can't be world class with a second-rate transit system
Copyright bhy The Chicago Sun-Times
September 13, 2007

A world-class city such as Chicago shouldn't have a second-rate transportation system.

Other great cities have figured that out. They know it takes a wise investment and great service to get people out of their cars and into buses and trains. Our leaders still don't get it.

Mayor Daley seems strangely uninvolved on the issue. As the CTA counted down to doomsday cuts this week, he was in Paris riding a bike. Gov. Blagojevich offered a Band-aid fix Wednesday -- $24 million that will postpone those cuts until November, as long as the RTA goes along. But he still refuses to support the most realistic plan to address chronic funding problems.

The CTA has been heading toward financial disaster for several years, plagued by mismanagement and revenues that have not kept pace with costs. That's why the agency seems to be holding out its hat begging for money every year, and partly why the rail cars, tracks and buses have been falling into such a sorry state of disrepair.

There were high hopes that this would be the year for legislative help, especially after Daley replaced CTA President Frank Kruesi. He was not well-liked by lawmakers, and his replacement, Ron Huberman, has so far lived up to his reputation for management efficiency. But those high hopes were dashed on the rocks of this year's stormy legislative session.

Concerned lawmakers crafted a plan to boost transit funding with a quarter-cent increase in the regional transit sales tax and with a small increase in the real estate transfer tax in Chicago. Those increases would provide the CTA -- as well as Metra and Pace, which are also operating in the red -- with a stable funding source. The bill also would put more teeth in the RTA's oversight of the three transit agencies. That could help address some of the issues raised in a scathing federal report on last year's train derailment, such as the poor inspection of the Blue Line tracks.

The bill has so far failed, largely because the governor has threatened to veto any sales tax increase. And he has refused to offer an alternative, other than to trot out his tired and rejected plan to close what he calls "corporate loopholes."

On Wednesday, faced with the very real prospect that he would be blamed for CTA fare hikes and service cuts, he offered the agency his $24 million Band-Aid. He also repeated his opposition to the sales tax increase. He insists "real progress is being made" on a long-term solution, but there's little evidence of it, and little optimism.

A mayor with Olympic ambitions -- and a governor and state leaders who also are Democrats -- should be able to provide a world-class transit system to a world-class city.