CTA Extortion - Part II
- Brace yourself for a CTA Double Doomsday plan that could be worse than previously announced. More layoffs and service cuts will follow in January after the agency's planned cuts for November.
- The first phase of the transit meltdown is set for November 4 if Governor Blagojevich and the general assembly can't agree on a bailout plan. The transit meltdown scheduled for mid-September was postponed for seven weeks. The governor loaned CTA, Metra and Pace nearly a hundred million state subsidy dollars to relieve a cash flow crisis.
Models of inefficiency and waste. Hopefully, downstate is wising up and will be refusing to support corrupt Chicago entities like the CTA and eventually, the CPS, too.
Labels: city politics
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
28 Comments:
CTA is nothin but a patronage haven for the merit hack daley administration. I use Metra with the family, the trains are clean and on time generally. We pay the full boat and get good service, versus the CTA a transit system held together by excretement and urine. never been aproached on Metra by a panhandler like the cta, I believe the metra security is excellent compared to the mass transit unit of the cpd.
The first thing the CTA will do to get the public's support is to do a story on how the bus disruption will effect all of the straight A students in the hood
I say again, let them fail.
Gee, maybe Huberman will come back and save CPD next! LOL
It's easy to see the decades of neglect and disrepair of the CTA. The clowns who have driven our city into the ground.
But let them make the cuts. Because the politicians will be hanging themselves.
It takes me 2 hours to get to work one way - 14 miles from my home. I have a valid license but am saving to go back to college part time. Only I meet many people in the same position. Some from Englewood commuting to Oak Brook, Rolling Meadows, etc because that's where the JOBS are at that pay more then min. wage.
Let them make the CTA cuts and you will see crime rise along with the public aid.
Our Gov. should be taking Amtrak to go to Springfield instead of us paying for him. Let's see how he feels to commute 3 hours each way. Mayor Daley should get rid of his drivers and find out what it's like having to time getting to work only to include breakdowns, piss poor scheduling, etc.
Next time you're patrolling through your neighborhoods and you have the chance, start talking to the people @ the bus/el stops about their commutes. You'll hear horror stories.
Anonymous said...
CTA is nothin but a patronage haven for the merit hack daley administration. I use Metra with the family, the trains are clean and on time generally. We pay the full boat and get good service, versus the CTA a transit system held together by excretement and urine. never been aproached on Metra by a panhandler like the cta, I believe the metra security is excellent compared to the mass transit unit of the cpd.
10/09/2007 12:13:00 AM
i agree but don't balme mass transit coppers agin it rests with daley as usual mass transit went from 300 officers to what do we have now 60? the airports were fullt staffed now waht do we have 1/3 or less than full levels, just like all the districts are extremely short thanks agin daley more in YOUR POCKETS!
CTA should become its own again. Detach from the RTA and Metra. Those other lines don't show a profit.
There will be NO service cuts or layoffs in the CTA. The mayor will just raise the sales tax and property tax to balance the budget and when he's done doing that he will publicly blame state government for not coming up with a plan to help the good citizens of chicago(the largest voting populous in illinois). The fact is the CTA has approx. 1.5 million riders a day at $2 a fare and on top of that is matched roughly dollar for dollar by state and federal grants which comes out to approx. 5-6 million dollars a day. The real question shouldn't be, "where are we going to get more money?" but "where the hell are we spending $6 million dollars a day?"
I say let the CTA go under. Private enterprise will no doubt fill the void. Remember. . . nature abhors a vacuum, and so does a free market economy.
posturing. this is nothing more than posturing. I hope they DO cut the CTA severely, forcing some major changes. Hey, let's have the olympics here! Cant handle a marathon, have a crappy transit system, and a police shortage...but we have high def 1080p liquid crystal crime cameras!!! come on down!!!
The CTA is on a public relations campaign. They are stating that due to "insufficient state funding" they will have to do mass layoffs, service cuts, etc... (the Doomsday plan). The CTA so far is winning this public relations war. The public believes their side. The other side opposing the CTA funding has not done a good job of presenting their side. Thus we will see a sales tax increase from the state to fund mass transit and in a couple of years the CTA will ask for more. Oh yes, Todd Stroger wants a 2% increase in the sales tax and Mayor Daley wants to increase the property tax too. The citizens of this city get what they deserve because they keep electing the same fools over and over again. America needs a third party.
The Red Line always has chicken bones & sunflower seeds on the floors plus it's never gotten me to my destination on time. Way to go Lubie!
Have no fear boy's and girl's !!
The CTA will get its money maybe not all of it but some and there will be cuts !! YES CITY HALL is now officialy looking to cut anything and everywhere ! ONCE THE CTA is set for the budget cycle. We can expect RON HUBERMANN to walk over to 35th street and be the next HEAD in charge!! YES HE WILL BE THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT !! He will start earLy next spring just in time to boot any disloyal exempt out the door !! JUST LOOK around see any bosses lately with any back bone -support the troops ??? Nope !!!
I'm sure that DANA woun't be toooo happy losing the -I'm DA MAN NOW SPOT - but we can all be rest assured that he'll get a nice county or state job !!!!
THE QUESTION THAT REALLY SHOULD BE ASKED IS ??? WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE FBI MOLE AT CITY HALL ???
BECAUSE THERE IS ONE AND ITS JUST GONNA BE A BAD DAY FOR THE MAYOR AND HIS FLUNKIES !!! GO GET'EM FITZIE !!
to the poster criticizing pub trans how many officers do you think are assigned there?? the majority of manpower are from those that actually show up for special don't dog the unit dog the brass that refuses to supply the necessary manpower another reason we will never get the olympics
To Leomemorial
I don't give a rats ass about the commute from to the ghetto to anywhere. I don't give a rats ass about your commute. And I definitely won't stop to talk to people at the bus stop, the majority who are just sitting there to drink their 40's.
CTA needs money. Cut the waste or raise the fares. Charge the people who use the system. Don't raise taxes on all of us. Make those who use the CTA pay. I pay for my own vehicle, gas, maintenance. I choose to own a car, so I know I have to pay my own money to get around. I don't expect taxpayers to pay for my transportation needs. The cost of gas goes up, I have to dig deeper into my own pocket. Why should the vast majority of Illinois residents, who don't use public transportation, have to subsidize the CTA through tax hikes? God forbid we actually make people pay for a service they use.
In my experience, it is safer, faster, cheaper, more comfortable and more convenient to get around on my bicycle that on the cta. I highly recommend the practice.
"I believe the metra security is excellent prepared to the mass transit unit of the cpd"
Sad, but only half-true. Metra police are just that-police. They have access to all the high-tech gadgets that we should have access to, but are not allowed to have.
Unfortunately for all concerned, the CPD Mass Transit Unit suffers because you get old-timers on a bid and clout babies on management.
10/09/2007 12:13:00 am
True dat....I use Metra only even though the CTA is just as close and cheaper...rather pay the extra$$ for cleaner, more efficient system, and less to non-existent bust-outs to bother you.
scooter sales are up. Cheap, less gas, etc. only bad thing is when the weather is bad, keep it in the garage and catch the bus (if there is one)
Hey Ronnie Hubberman - do what's right and CLEAN HOUSE at the CTA. Too much FAT and polical clout- ridden positions. CLEAN UP the trains, buses and stations. If the CTA gets 2 bucks a ride w/ matching funds from the feds, why are we in such a hole? Shame on this administration for letting it become a ghetto transport system.
This meand Daley and all the inept people he put into these positions.That includes the GED boss we have.
Hey Shakman, check out all those who have been hired by the Daley administration for $$ CTA spots (and I don't mean bus drivers), That's why the system has been run to the ground.
Keep on voting democrat - this is what you get.
are you a politician, 01:23:00 PM?
if not, you should run for office!
Why should the tax payers have to fund the CTA. The people who ride the CTA are the ones who should foot the bill. If the riders are not willing to pay for the service they demand then fuck em, SHUT IT DOWN!
Anonymous said...
"I believe the metra security is excellent prepared to the mass transit unit of the cpd"
Sad, but only half-true. Metra police are just that-police. They have access to all the high-tech gadgets that we should have access to, but are not allowed to have.
Unfortunately for all concerned, the CPD Mass Transit Unit suffers because you get old-timers on a bid and clout babies on management.
10/09/2007 04:10:00 PM
Cpd mass transit has radios that fail,junk cars,no computers, no manpower so you see daley again strikes with his pockets fully lined with stolen money! WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THE HOMELAND SECURITY BILLIONS DALEY YOU WILL TELL FITZGERALD SOON PAL VERY SOON!
Commuting by bicycle isn't a bad idea. But I've been having a problem dressing for the cold weather here. I use cool max for the summer/spring/fall, so any tips for winter dressing for working outdoors would be helpful.
thanx
you're the type that lumps everyone in the same category. there are good people in englewood just like any other 'hood. stop being a jagoff!!!!
To those who say CTA should be on its own and not part of the RTA, and similarly to those who advocate free-market takeovers of public transportation: The only option is for everyone to drive, bike or walk. Public transit on rail has never made money--ever, and that's a fact. Throughout history, the railroads have always subsidized passenger rail with freight revenue. When it became too costly to continue passenger service, the railroads just gave up. Transit agencies like the RTA and Amtrak were created to fill the void but by using tax money. In Chicago, the rail lines that are now part of the CTA were built by the electric companies who powered their own trains for free. Bus transport has a similar though not as extreme history--if each rider today paid for the true cost of service then fares would increase to a point where nobody could afford to ride. Free market economics would NOT take over because there is no money to be made. FACT IS, Like all public/government agencies in Chicago, we need to trim the fat and stop making jobs for juice/clout babies to get a free ride.
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