Saving the CTA with No Fare Increase and No Service Cuts

April 2005

Published on April 27, 2005 By dougplotke In Current Events

Believe it or not there is a way to continue the operation of the CTA without any fare increase or service cuts. The solution has been there all the time and perhaps forgotten by the CTA and RTA.

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the second largest public transportation system in the nation. It covers the city of Chicago and 40 surrounding suburbs and on an average weekday provides almost 1.5 million rides. Since it's beginning in 1947 when it governed itself to 1974 when the RTA was created financial overseer; there have always been money problems.

This year again, 2005, over fifty years later the same problems exist. Why? Why is probably not the question because, I believe, right now there is a bigger question. What? What can be done is the question. The answer; The 1970 Illinois Constitution provides a tax that has been ignored by the RTA/CTA completely to date (follow the link and click on "The History of the Early RTA by Joseph A. Tecson" pages 20, 23 & 24)

There are hundreds of commercial parking facilities used in the City of Chicago and 40 surrounding suburbs. Used everyday by drivers coming to work in the city or leaving the city to work in the suburbs. Road congestion is everywhere; Schaumburg, Chicago even Northbrook and Riverdale. For the sake of argument let's look at this Chicago area; drivers living in the suburbs come into the city to earn their living. People living on the Southside and South Suburbs drive to the Northside and North Suburbs to work and visa versa. All of these people must find a place to park their automobiles. Some companies provide private parking areas, many do not and drivers must use commercial lots or garages. Obviously, downtown Chicago has commercial lots and garages; so what is the cost to park downtown Chicago vs. say New York City?

Downtown Chicago Parking is a bargain compared to New York City (Chicago about $24 with New York $30). Parking in the suburban lots or garages in Chicago's 40 surrounding suburbs is even a bigger bargain.

You can travel from Chicago to any suburb and find commercial parking (this was not so true several years ago and maybe this is why this revenue source has been overlooked). You may even have to pay to park in your company's lot/garage inside or outside in suburbia (Suburbanites working or even just going to a ball game in the inner city can park on the city streets without a city sticker but that's another story). Consider just those drivers using commercial parking facilities be it in Chicago or it's surrounding suburbs; there are thousands upon thousands.

The RTA/CTA has had the authority to tax commercial parking facilities since it's inception but they have not taken advantage of this golden cow. What are they waiting for? Why should the people that make the "City that Works"; people who live in the city or suburbs and take public transportation to and from work pay a fare increase or face service cuts while the drivers who also work in the same places continue to pollute the air we breathe and cause traffic congestion all over the state enjoy cheap commercial parking.

The Fathers of the 1970 Illinois Constitution provided this avenue for taxation and this method of raising revenue for this public transportation system and not without reason. What is without reason is why the RTA/CTA has not attempted to tap this source of revenue; A source that would prevent a fare increase and service cuts as well as providing much needed revenue to establish new facilities and routes like a Yellow Line extension to Lake-Cook Road in Northbrook, IL and Blue Line to Schaumburg, IL. These projects are not even scheduled to begin before 2010 at the earliest, or if at all. Yet, the need is present now, not in five or ten years from now.

It's time the RTA/CTA move into the new millennium lest we learn to do without public transportation in the Chicago area. I'll never forget the red trolley cars going up and down California Avenue, the Green Screamers on Western Avenue or the two wire electric buses running on Belmont Avenue that would have to stop every two blocks to re-attach to the cable; The car barns, the tracks in the cobblestone streets; The kindly conductor who always gave me a pack of transfers to play with while riding in the breeze on the end of the streetcar. These days are gone forever and so too should be the constant whining of the RTA/CTA saying they do not have the funds to operate when they haven't even scratched the surface looking for funds; Considering fare increases and service cuts when the Illinois Constitution gives them authority to tax people for the luxury of driving to work and being able to park their cars in a commercial parking lot is an outrage that has been going on for fifty years.

It's time to save the RTA/CTA. Let them know how you feel…

RTA link
CTA link

Link

Comments

ParaTed2k

on Apr 27, 2005

Chicago Transit Authority became a lost cause the minute they dumped the brass section and Peter Cetera cut his hair!! ;~D

Sorry, I couldn't resist... depending on your age and musical tastes, you might not even get the joke. Having never lived around Chicago though, I have nothing but weak attempts at humor. Enjoy the points though. ;~D

Eastern Diamondback

on Apr 27, 2005

Before seeking to raise fees or taxes, I'd like to see where their revenue goes right now. After that

BTW, I thought it was very amazing to see someone mention Western and California Avenues. I lived between them on the South Side of the city. By my time the streetcars were gone, though.

joeKnowledge

on Apr 27, 2005

I think, eventuallt, there will be an overhaul in how we go to work in the cities of the USA. This 'travel to work one passenger per car' is just not going to work in a city of 10 million people all convergingon a space of 10 miles circumfrance.

To focus on NY:

The train/bus revolution that happened in NY and other cities across the nation will come again. While there is literally no more space for trains in NYC center, outer areas will get new underground and above ground railway systems.

Express buses will take over lower Manhatten as lower Manhatten is closed off to any and all vehicles except for trucks and buses (limos and some taxis during specific times available) Also biking to work could become the norm for those near the city center now that cars are off the street. Bike paths become mini-highways and greenways to zip to work and back. I have found that you can literally get to Manhatten in the same time a train would take you by bike.

Fat Americans no more...

We truely need to change our attetude toward driving to work in big cities like Chi-town, LA, NY and Boston as well as some other areas. Adding more roadway only has shown to add more cars. Some roads are better BECAUSE they are 2 lanes or 3 (less accidents, lane changing and speeding).

Park and go areas can be small hubs of activity and life. Bikes, smart cars, Scoins and small coupes (even luxury coupes) are welcome as they are small and ment for 2 passengers anyway. Car pooling becomes the life style (or take the bus from the park and go) Trains zip by stuck highway traffic as a way of showing the car drivers you could be moiving forward instead of siting in traffic.

Tools on bridges, inner ciry parking and increase in parking ticket violations can pay for it all!!!

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