Anyone who has waited for a Red Line train recently can tell you about their frustrations with the CTA.This situation causes people to swap CTA card for car keys.
CTA’s predicament includes a political enemy, Aldo. Andre Vazquez (40th) and Aldo. Brendan Reilly, 42nd place; agree Regarding the removal of Dorval Carter Jr. as CTA leader.
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s reaction? appoint Another political insider on the CTA board with no transportation expertise. But the challenges facing CTA are bigger than any one person or institution. Filling Chicago business vacancies and restoring ridership is the best way forward.
chicago is behind Other major cities It is trying to restore pre-pandemic passenger numbers. New features in CTAs dynamic scheduling There is a lack of meaningful and consistent trains.under carterCTA confirmed that: Highest in 10 years A crime wave, numerous driver vacancies, and an increase in “ghost trains” that suddenly disappear from the CTA’s online tracking. Even worse, $577 million There will be a budget deficit by 2026.
Illinois lawmakers appear to be taking matters into their own hands by introducing a bill. Integrate Chicago’s transportation systems, including CTA, Metra, and Pace, are based on recommendations from the Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency.
Chicago transit agencies face a total deficit of $730 million. Consolidation could save the city between $200 million and $250 million annually, not including initial costs.
However, CMAP’s proposals include: 1.5 billion dollars Requires at least $400 million a year in funding and supplemental capital investments for transit agencies, recommends new fares for drivers, and expands the sales tax they pay to do so.
The new fees could include Chicago’s “congestion” or transit tax, a fee for drivers passing through congested areas of the city. Vasquez previously supported The Chicago City Council Office of Financial Analysis has already discussed this type of tax. Recommendation that.
While consolidation is flashy, the proposal may end up costing the city more than it saves. In the end, transportation funding is not the issue. That’s an expense.
of 2024 CTA Budget It is already the largest scale ever, Mr. Metra. Rather than finding ways to make the city more affordable and attractive to new residents and businesses, the city wants to continue spending as if nothing has changed. At current city spending rates, even after consolidation, Chicago’s public transit system could have to raise fares, cut service or obtain new tax revenue from the city to cover the growing deficit. expensive.
All these “solutions” ultimately came from Chicagoans, esp. low income residentsand existing riders. Chicagoans feel the pinch every day from rising transportation costs, fines, and fees more than the man who makes more than $375,000 to keep the CTA on the ropes.
Consolidation could help eliminate significant executive branch talent like Carters, the city’s highest-paid public leader, but it also requires the state to think of transportation issues as an extension of Chicago. There is Best ever Office vacancy.Chicago’s high taxes get kicked out residents and business, derailing hopes of recovery. Unless the city lowers the cost of doing business in the Loop, public transit may never get back on track.
The city can start by finding ways to ease Chicago’s euphoria. Commercial property tax. The effective rate of property tax needs to be lowered to bring it on par with the largest cities, which have the heaviest taxes.
Lowering property taxes would also enable businesses to play their part. With rents soaring, companies can’t afford to attract employees to their offices. No one wants to pay to commute when remote and hybrid jobs exist. Businesses need to remain competitive.Transportation expense subsidies are increasing The Popular As an advantage of low cost, Encourage Worker. Transportation subsidies would ease the financial burden, as minimum wage workers and shift workers often lack the means to work remotely.
If the CTA recovers pre-pandemic ridership by 2026, farebox revenue would reach $544 million, eliminating $163.6 million in projected deficits, according to an analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute. It is said that it will be done. However, based on current collection rates, the agency will not reach its ridership goals until 2030. Reducing commercial real estate tax rates to fill office vacancies would shorten this recovery time. The longer it takes to collect passengers, the wider the deficit will be. .
The city of Chicago doesn’t need to tax residents or workers to solve its public transportation problems. Instead, reducing city taxes to attract business provides a path to safer, more reliable and affordable public transport.
Mickey Horstman is a spokesperson for the Illinois Policy Institute and a Young Voices contributor.
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