Unbelievable

[trainman8119]

Well, that didn't take long. According to today's Sun-Times, Metra is putting 10% fare increase on the table for Feb 1, regardless of any funding from the State. According to uncle Phil (who is also whining about the freebies for seniors), they need to replace the $8 million in capital dollars they used for operations during the "crisis" (which was a bad idea from the start). According to Carol Doris, this is all okay, because the public gave positive feedback on this fare increase in public hearings. Horsepuckey !!!

These guys are all idiots. There is no law and it seems as though everyone out there is trying to kill it. Here you have the Gov playing with fire, sending this thing back, then he goes out and @#**& people off by saying the the legislature sent him horse manure. You are liable to get 2 or 3 of those who were on the fence to say, the heck with it and vote it down (remember, it only takes one in the Senate), regardless of whether it offends seniors or not. Now, you have the clowns at Metra raising fares regardless of funding or not...these nutcases can't even play a politcal game right.

I told you guys giving these airheads money was a bad thing...they are going to do their own thing anyway. I only thought that CTA would be the first in holding their hands out, and even then I figured it would take a few months. But this, this is just unbelievable. Again, if I were a lawmaker, I'd tell them to go to hell and figure it out yourselves.

[Busjack]

I agree about the political posturing, the horse manure, and the rest of the Madigan-Blago feuding.

However, the Metra fare hike doesn't bother me. Most of its riders can afford it (I may reserve judgment on those on the Metra Electric), Metra has had a policy of incremental fare hikes, unlike CTA and Pace, which reserve them for Doomsday scenarios), and the Auditor General established that riders outside of Zone E were not pulling their weight.

In fact, I would argue that Pace fares should be the same as CTA ones if the routes connect with CTA (unless Pace demonstrates that there would be a precipitous drop in ridership), and fares on Special Events services and the like should cover costs and not be subsidized, since those services are not essential to getting people to their jobs, medical appointments, and the like.

In any event, the RTA Act allows each service board to set its fares, so long as the recovery ratio is met. Thus, Metra isn't doing anything illegal here. There apparently were conditions on the two gubernatorial bailouts that preserved the status quo, but nothing in this bill does.

[trainman8119]

I agree about the political posturing, the horse manure, and the rest of the Madigan-Blago feuding.

However, the Metra fare hike doesn't bother me. Most of its riders can afford it (I may reserve judgment on those on the Metra Electric), Metra has had a policy of incremental fare hikes, unlike CTA and Pace, which reserve them for Doomsday scenarios), and the Auditor General established that riders outside of Zone E were not pulling their weight.

In fact, I would argue that Pace fares should be the same as CTA ones if the routes connect with CTA (unless Pace demonstrates that there would be a precipitous drop in ridership), and fares on Special Events services and the like should cover costs and not be subsidized, since those services are not essential to getting people to their jobs, medical appointments, and the like.

In any event, the RTA Act allows each service board to set its fares, so long as the recovery ratio is met. Thus, Metra isn't doing anything illegal here. There apparently were conditions on the two gubernatorial bailouts that preserved the status quo, but nothing in this bill does.

I am not questioning any legalities here. This does, however, follow the nonsensical statements that the doomsday scenarios were off, if any legislations were passed. This all falls into one of the reasons as to why I was against giving these clowns any money unless there was a complete overhaul and accountablity. Why should anybody be believed anymore. They are about all as trustworthy as a snake in a back alley. And why should a pol who was coerced into voting for this not be inclined to pull it off the table, despite the political backlash of the elderly, when one of those at the top of one of the service boards is balking about it even before it become reality. Don't count on doomsday being off the table just yet. It could be a very interesting week before it is over. There still may be a little bit of chicken to be played yet.

[Busjack]

It also depends on how you define Doomsday. Metra never threatened to cut service, at least on the Jan. 20th date.

The game of chicken might still be played, but I think the newspapers are overblowing it.

The other thing I wanted to mention is that the bill contains a decreasing exemption from the recovery ratio. The theory behind that was that $450 million in new money shouldn't result in $450 million in fare increases. But since the exemption decreases, the bill does anticipate fare increases by everyone. Thus, I wouldn't characterize fare increases as inconsistent with doomsday being called off.

I agree that full accountability wasn't imposed, but discussed that more in response to jajuan.

Also, I have to cut back on this. I've already blown half of Saturday.