RIPTA42 Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 Next Tuesday, August 28, the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association is holding a rally outside the Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph Street in Chicago, beginning at 11:30 AM. Speakers include Mayor Richard M. Daley, DuPage County Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, RTA Chairman Jim Reilly, State Rep. Julie Hamos, and State Rep. Sid Mathias. Come and show your support for Mass Transit! FLYER Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusExpert32 Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 Next Tuesday, August 28, the Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association is holding a rally outside the Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph Street in Chicago, beginning at 11:30 AM. Speakers include Mayor Richard M. Daley, DuPage County Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, RTA Chairman Jim Reilly, State Rep. Julie Hamos, and State Rep. Sid Mathias. Come and show your support for Mass Transit! FLYER We all support Mass Transit, but there's nothing rallying will do except for creating tention and unwanted attention. Not even Mayor Richard M. Daley, DuPage County Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, RTA Chairman Jim Reilly, State Rep. Julie Hamos, and State Rep. Sid Mathias can do anything about it unless Springfield passes legislation to stop the CTA and Pace from installing major service and fare increases. But even now it would be a hard thing to do by exiting the ''Doomsday Plan" because if the contingency plan is switched off immediately, it will cost the CTA about $2.1 million. In another scenario, the money could come after the date of the planned start of the contingency plan, but then everything would become much more complicated because of a list of legal requirements. Bottom line. Even if the money is approved by September 18th, service will return to normal by mid-October. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 25, 2007 Report Share Posted August 25, 2007 Bus Expert is correct. If Hamos can't call her bill, and Daley can't convince members of his party to vote for it, what will this rally (which according to some anonymous people at Sick Transit Chicago, is being staged by a consulting firm hired by the RTA) accomplish? I could go into a litany on how the RTA, CTA, Daley, the Legislature, the Governor, et. al. messed this one up, but there wouldn't be a point. All the state representatives from districts near and including mine are cosponsors, so if they can't move the bill, who can? Also, it appears that the bill pays only lip service to reform, requiring 9 votes to intervene in service disputes and 12 to take over an alternative analysis study. Have the ralliers read what they are supporting? Maybe it would be better if the legislators started over. The only thing with which I may have a quibble is "if the money is approved by September 18th, service will return to normal by mid-October." Maybe a more realistic view is that "if the money is approved by September 18th, service will not return to normal until maybe mid-October." Most of the bill is raising taxes, not state money (only the appropriations from last year were carried over into the 2007 Budget, which the governor signed subject to line item vetoes), and the longer it waits, the longer we aren't paying the sales tax increase. Unless the RTA has reserves to fill the gap or can sell tax anticipation warrants, money that would have been collected from July 1 to its effective date will not be. Let's also remember that under Article IV, Section 9 of the Illinois Constitution, the governor has 60 days to approve or veto a bill, and in many instances he has taken it. It is simply too late to prevent all hell from breaking loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted August 26, 2007 Report Share Posted August 26, 2007 Once service is cut, don't assume that if, and I say if, money is received from downstate that the agencies will automatically resume service to levels before the cuts are made. I would be willing to bet a bean counter someplace will say, "hey, look at all the money we saved" and things will remain status quo for quite awhile...especially if all of the planned layoffs take effect. Don't expect all of the people laid off to come running back (some will, of course), especially if they line up jobs. Along with this, then the CTA (for example) could come back in February and trump all of the new service they created...thus taking credit away from any politicos that may pledge money. I am willing to bet that this would be more of "new service" over "reinstituted service". I can see Metra, for example, doing away with a weekend ticket...putting in a all day Saturday/Sunday type thing, and never coming back with the same thing when they see the revenue stream. And if fares go up to 2.50-3.00-4.00 on the CTA, don't expect a roll back either. Regardless of any bailouts, it will be seen as revenue that they will not want to give up. Pace will probably change their minimum service requirements, thus giving justification (in their minds) for not bringing back lots of what gets cut. I think a lot of this is being overlooked....remember, these boys are politicos, just like the boys downstate. They are as crooked, sneaky and snakey as the rest of them, and quite frankly, I don't trust them a bit...that is why I am not crazy about the state bailing them out. And you can bet, also, that once they (if) get money from the gov..they will line their pockets with raises...don't forget, Frank is still waiting in the shadows for his sweetheart deal, when nobody is looking !!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 27, 2007 Report Share Posted August 27, 2007 As previously mentioned Pace told the Tribune that the 23 poorly performing routes were not coming back, and in some cases, such as 835, there is no justification for running them. So trainman is correct that other cuts or fare increases may be permanent. Metra hasn't given word about what concrete plans it has for 2008. As for Frank, if he gets a sweetheart deal, it won't be from the CTA (did you forget that the Mayor got him to resign?). However, it is not known if Frank is still on some city or mayoral payroll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted August 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 We all support Mass Transit, but there's nothing rallying will do except for creating tention and unwanted attention. Is any attention unwanted? Attention means press coverage and increased awareness that we do have a transportation crisis and that there is public support for solving the problem. Not even Mayor Richard M. Daley, DuPage County Chairman Robert Schillerstrom, RTA Chairman Jim Reilly, State Rep. Julie Hamos, and State Rep. Sid Mathias can do anything about it unless Springfield passes legislation to stop the CTA and Pace from installing major service and fare increases.They can get up and blow hot air. Sometimes, that's an important thing to do. But even now it would be a hard thing to do by exiting the ''Doomsday Plan" because if the contingency plan is switched off immediately, it will cost the CTA about $2.1 million. In another scenario, the money could come after the date of the planned start of the contingency plan, but then everything would become much more complicated because of a list of legal requirements.The cost of the contingency plan is no reason to reject funding. Ideally, the cuts could be completely avoided; if they can't, then securing funding and restoring service as soon as practical is the best we can hope for. Bottom line. Even if the money is approved by September 18th, service will return to normal by mid-October. Which is better than service returning to normal by, say, mid-2010. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RIPTA42 Posted August 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 Bus Expert is correct. If Hamos can't call her bill, and Daley can't convince members of his party to vote for it, what will this rally (which according to some anonymous people at Sick Transit Chicago, is being staged by a consulting firm hired by the RTA) accomplish? I read the comments at Sick Transit Chicago, and it appears that the RTA's promotional consultant was circulating e-mails and flyers promoting the rally. If they weren't, the RTA might want to rethink Resolute's contract. The flyer circulating around my office came from the IRTBA. I could go into a litany on how the RTA, CTA, Daley, the Legislature, the Governor, et. al. messed this one up, but there wouldn't be a point. All the state representatives from districts near and including mine are cosponsors, so if they can't move the bill, who can? Also, it appears that the bill pays only lip service to reform, requiring 9 votes to intervene in service disputes and 12 to take over an alternative analysis study. Have the ralliers read what they are supporting? Maybe it would be better if the legislators started over. Of course no one is blameless, either in Chicago or in Springfield, but how many of them would suffer if transit service is slashed? Maybe Mayor Daley's driver will have to sit in more traffic between Bridgeport and City Hall; the same is true for Rod's driver en route to the heliport from the Manor. Ron Huberman will still collect a paycheck, which can't be said for the bus drivers, train operators, maintainers, and CTA staffers who would be laid off. We're never going to get a perfect solution from Springfield, but we need something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 The flyer circulating around my office came from the IRTBA.Obviously an interest group. It is the same as all of the letters to the editor saying that tolls should be retained on the Tollway being signed by the president of the Concrete Contractors Association. Let them hire a lobbyist. You still haven't answered how if Hamos hasn't been able to move this bill up to now, how the rally is going to make any difference. Especially with the Governor threatening a veto and now suing Madigan (only for press effect, as if the court has any sense, it will decline jurisdiction under the political question doctrine). I took two classes on PR and know what is happening. I also wrote to my legislators way back in March, and either that works in tying funding to real reform (and it appears that it won't) or that's it for me. Also, as previously noted, it appears that Pace is going to cut "low performing routes" in my area in any event, so.... Maybe Mayor Daley's driver will have to sit in more traffic between Bridgeport and City Hall.He's lived in the Central Station area for a long time, and is moving to the Millennium Park condo building under construction on Wabash, so he's covered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted August 28, 2007 Report Share Posted August 28, 2007 He's lived in the Central Station area for a long time, and is moving to the Millennium Park condo building under construction on Wabash, so he's covered. Actually, he is not. He got a lot of grief about it, and decided to stay put in Central Station. Maybe those Millenium Park condos aren't what they are suppose to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tritransit Area Posted August 31, 2007 Report Share Posted August 31, 2007 Once service is cut, don't assume that if, and I say if, money is received from downstate that the agencies will automatically resume service to levels before the cuts are made. I would be willing to bet a bean counter someplace will say, "hey, look at all the money we saved" and things will remain status quo for quite awhile...especially if all of the planned layoffs take effect. Don't expect all of the people laid off to come running back (some will, of course), especially if they line up jobs. Along with this, then the CTA (for example) could come back in February and trump all of the new service they created...thus taking credit away from any politicos that may pledge money. I am willing to bet that this would be more of "new service" over "reinstituted service". I can see Metra, for example, doing away with a weekend ticket...putting in a all day Saturday/Sunday type thing, and never coming back with the same thing when they see the revenue stream. And if fares go up to 2.50-3.00-4.00 on the CTA, don't expect a roll back either. Regardless of any bailouts, it will be seen as revenue that they will not want to give up. Pace will probably change their minimum service requirements, thus giving justification (in their minds) for not bringing back lots of what gets cut. I think a lot of this is being overlooked....remember, these boys are politicos, just like the boys downstate. They are as crooked, sneaky and snakey as the rest of them, and quite frankly, I don't trust them a bit...that is why I am not crazy about the state bailing them out. And you can bet, also, that once they (if) get money from the gov..they will line their pockets with raises...don't forget, Frank is still waiting in the shadows for his sweetheart deal, when nobody is looking !!!!! I truly agree with this post. Writing from the SEPTA area in Philadelphia, this was essentially the case. The legislature came through with funding for SEPTA so that they could avoid the drastic cuts they were planning. They didn't only give SEPTA the money they needed, but about 50 million dollars extra. SEPTA still refused to reinstate transfers, which they were planning to eliminate in an effort to balance the budget (as they claimed). The only reason why transfers are still being sold is because the city took SEPTA to court, citing discrimination and that SEPTA didn't take time to study how the elimination of transfers would affect low income riders. The judge ruled in favor of the city, but SEPTA is looking to appeal the judge's decision. Since when did transit stop being "for the people"? I hope you all get the funding you need - if I ever move out to Chicago, I'd like to have decent transit service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 1, 2007 Report Share Posted September 1, 2007 According to a Channel 2 report, also on the web, the rally was apparently real effective (sarcasm). I guess we'll find out on Tuesday, or maybe not. One of the representatives quoted as against the bill is from an area where the current bill mandates a BRT project (section 2.09(). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 According to a Channel 2 report, also on the web, the rally was apparently real effective (sarcasm). I guess we'll find out on Tuesday...The Tribune just reported that the bill failed. It needed 71 votes and got 61. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 According to Rep. Fritchey (via Capital Fax): My understanding is that the Governor may announce a 'plan' as early as tomorrow to address both the mass transit issue as well as the larger issue of a capital bill. For those keeping count, this plan would be in line behind the one to 'rock the system' on campaign finance and ethics; the one to improve health care for Illinoisans, and countless others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 According to Rep. Fritchey (via Capital Fax): Our transit system is now going into a tailspin, No thanks to the incompetence of the individuals that were elected. They dont care, they dont ride public transportation. They go home in their fancy cars, not buses or trains! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 They go home in their fancy cars Or, in Blagojevich's case, airplane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusExpert32 Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Our transit system is now going into a tailspin, No thanks to the incompetence of the individuals that were elected. They dont care, they dont ride public transportation. They go home in their fancy cars, not buses or trains! What jerks? Supporting and rallying for something but not using it. Well I for one am against these service cuts and fair increases because I do ride the CTA most of the time and I do not want to lose any service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainman8119 Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 I am ecstatic about this. What these agencies need is reform and accountability and not constant bailouts. Sooner or later, they will get some money. I want to see what they do if and when doomsday actually kicks in. I am willing to bet they will get their money, and then will not roll back what is implemented, against what is promised. Then, win or lose, come February or March, they will come back with their hands out again, looking for more bailouts, yet nothing ever gets fixed. Believe it or not, this is one of the best things that could happen for the transit system here. That all said, you watch, the crybabies will get their money, and all will be well. But, if they don't, as an insider who sees waste and incompetence day in and day out, I will be on cloud 9. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 Or, in Blagojevich's case, airplane. Are you kidding? He is a joke!! Like Todd Stroger, I cant believe how these people get elected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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