Front-page coverage of our growing, unrealistic commute times once again reflects our reliance on mass transit for our quality of life (“The pay’s fine, but how’s the drive? Area’s growing travel times play bigger role for job seekers,” Page 1, June 11). Unfortunately our region has relied on a 24-year-old funding formula that has not accommodated population growth or the loss of federal operating dollars eliminated more than a decade ago.
Our quality of life will further diminish if an adequate and fair transit funding package does not emerge from Springfield at the end of this month. The good news is that negotiations in Springfield revise the transit funding formula to reflect the region’s needs today, restoring fiscal health and setting it on a course for improvements and growth. Only two hurdles exist: the governor’s signature and a resolution to funding the Chicago Transit Authority’s pensions.
It’s time for Gov. Rod Blagojevich to prepare to sign the new legislation into law — regardless of his no-tax increase pledge. This is a good deal for the region and the state; it can relieve congestion in the region and facilitate the movement of goods to other parts of Illinois and the country.
Our legislators worked all session to identify adequate funding sources, specifically relatively small increases in the sales and real estate transfer taxes, all viable options contained in the act governing the Regional Transportation Authority. No other revenue proposal was offered. Further, RTA’s new powers under the legislation will offer greater coordination among transit services, new resources to relieve congestion by making road improvements and funding available to improve suburb-to-suburb commuting.
Inadequate funding for transit over the last 25 years has not only diminished travel but has led to unfortunate decisions regarding the CTA employee pension fund, which is now only 39.4 percent funded. Without delay, the CTA and its unions must identify a solution that adequately addresses the pension shortfall, preserves the modest benefits of its current and future retirees and is in line with the new transit funding package.
