CTA Board

[Busjack]

Since the new development deals with CTA, not Metra:

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Now, we get to the more interesting question, which is Sheila Nix on the CTA board. Despite lack of business qualifications, she was appointed by Blago for the express purpose of voting against a fare increase despite the senior free rides which she conceived, according to reports. However, the gov's appointments must be confirmed by the state senate. 70 ILCS 3605/20. There were mentions in the CTA agenda that Nix was a temporary member. I wonder if the Senate ever voted on confirmation, and now given the constitutional mess caused by the gov, will not confirm her.

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She did get confirmed, but the Chicago Breaking News item on the 140 bus order being delayed also said:

Meanwhile, Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday introduced a mass-transit and land-use policy expert who is also a former top aide to the late Mayor Harold Washington as his choice to fill a vacancy on the CTA board.

Jacquelyne Grimshaw, 66, of Hyde Park, is vice president of policy at the Center for Neighborhood Technology. She said she wants to focus on getting rail service for the Far South Side by extending the CTA Red Line.

"It's been on the books for 20 years," Grimshaw said at a news conference inside the Clark and Lake CTA station as people shuffled to and from trains. "I think it's time that we take the capital funds that we have and start looking at how we can invest those and create the rail option for people on the Far South Side."

Grimshaw replaces Sheila Nix, who resigned last month. Nix was a deputy governor under ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Nix orchestrated Blagojevich's controversial program offering free rides to senior citizens on the CTA, Metra and Pace. The free rides have cost the transit agencies tens of millions of dollars amid budget shortfalls.

Grimshaw said she preferred passing Quinn's income tax plan, which stalled this year in Springfield, to raising bus and train fares or cutting service.

As for how to tackle lagging revenues in the grim economy, Grimshaw said she thinks raising fares and cutting the free service for seniors are the last option the CTA should consider.

So, I was right that Nix wouldn't stay too long, although a bit longer than what I thought.

This appointee apparently does have a transit background, although an agenda not congruent with some of us (i.e. on free rides for seniors, but we knew that was Quinn's position).