(The Center Square) – Lawmakers are calling for a massive investment into Illinois mass transit, but where the funding comes from remains up in the air.
A $770 million fiscal cliff is facing transit in northeast Illinois once pandemic funding dries up. Transit officials warn of service cuts and layoffs if additional funding is not approved in Springfield.
State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, has called for reforms to mass transit in the state, but also investing $1.5 billion into the system.
“If we don’t do this, 40% of cuts in service, more than 3,000 public transit workers will get pink slips in the mail, and that we believe is not an option,” Villivalam said during a Thursday news conference.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker did not include funding in his proposed budget, but has said a change in governance is crucial.
“People should be able to get on a bus, a train, transit of any sort and not have to worry about which ticket they have and the transfers that they may need to make,” said Pritzker. “They should just be able to get on and go where they want to go, and that has not been happening with the governance that we’ve had up to now.”
Villivalam’s proposal would replace the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees CTA, Metra, and Pace, with a new entity called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. It would allow riders to transfer between buses and trains without having to purchase a different transit ticket.
Another proposed measure would create a dedicated transit police force to address crime issues in the Chicago area.
Villivalam insists addressing mass transit is a statewide issue.
“We are doing this for riders throughout our state that utilize the services provided by 54 public transit agencies in downstate Illinois,” said Villivalam.
State Sen. Seth Lewis, R-Bartlett, a member of the Senate Transportation Committee, said a recently filed amendment to mass transit legislation appears to confirm Republicans’ fears that it is a Chicago-Cook County takeover of regional transit funding.
“Senate Republicans have engaged in good faith negotiations for over a year now with our Democratic counterparts on the Senate Transportation Committee. But what House Democrats have put forward is essentially a bailout for Chicago, giving the city a bigger share of future revenues while cutting the suburbs out of key decisions. We are continuing to work with our Senate colleagues with hopes that the ultimate solution is fair and equitable for the entire region, including the suburban riders we represent,” he said in a statement.
As for where the funding for mass transit is going to come from, some of the proposals floating around the Illinois capitol include a rideshare tax and a tollway surcharge.
“Utilizing tollway funds for transit can be summarized as robbing Peter to pay Paul,” Engineers Local 150 Executive Director Marc Poulos said during a Senate Transportation Committee hearing Thursday. “These are concerns that a tollway surcharge would deter drivers, ultimately diminishing funding for both roads and transit infrastructure.”
Lawmakers have until 11:59 p.m. Saturday to pass a balanced budget.
