CHICAGO: Transit Developments

[Attrill]

He won't sign it until he figures out how to spin it into HIS great idea. Time to light the torches and mobilize the peasantry.

[aaron38]

UPDATE: SPRINGFIELD -- State lawmakers today passed a bill to fund Chicago-area mass transit with a sales tax increase, but Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he wouldn't go along until lawmakers agreed with his requirement to provide free bus and train rides for the state's senior citizens.

Oh come on! Is that really what we need right now, holding up funding for the entire city to give a perk to the seniors?

Sure that'd be great, who doesn't like free stuff, but we need to fight the real problems first. I'm supporting a raise in my sales taxes to keep the trains running for ALL Chicago, not to give out free rides.

Sign the damn bill boy wonder.

[BVictor1]

Blagojevich holds up transit funding


CTA President Ron Huberman waits to meet with Governor Blagojevich after Illinois lawmakers passed a bill to fund Chicago-area mass transit. (Tribune photo by José Moré / January 10, 2008)

By Ray Long and Jeffrey Meitrodt | Tribune staff reporters
3:34 PM CST, January 10, 2008

UPDATE: SPRINGFIELD -- State lawmakers today passed a bill to fund Chicago-area mass transit with a sales tax increase, but Gov. Rod Blagojevich said he wouldn't go along until lawmakers agreed with his requirement to provide free bus and train rides for the state's senior citizens.

[j korzeniowski]

Originally Posted by BVictor1

that's when i reach for my revolver ...

seriously, looks like huberman is about to draw. he also looks like ben stiller. he also looks like he is pissed.

i am numb right now. i just can't fucking believe it.

[Mr Downtown]

What???? Where did this come from? Why give free rides to seniors, who are statistically one of the wealthiest age groups? Couldn't be because they are also most likely to vote, could it?

[ardecila]

Hold up.... why is this such a big deal?

All the legislature can do is pass feel-good bills like the "moment of silence" crap. This fits right in with that theme, and provides Blago with a way to politically save face while allowing the tax increases that CTA/Metra/Pace need.

I honestly can't see too much opposition in the legislature to providing free rides to seniors (who also vote, btw). It pulls more seniors off the roads, who are often accident-prone, especially when they have sight or hearing impairments. How many seniors take mass transit anyway? The revenue loss wouldn't be huge, right?

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by j korzeniowski

that's when i reach for my revolver ...

seriously, looks like huberman is about to draw. he also looks like ben stiller. he also looks like he is pissed.

i am numb right now. i just can't fucking believe it.

Huberman might be simply tired and pissed at being photographed through a window like Britney Spears. He IS staring directly at the camera.

[aaron38]

Originally Posted by ardecila

I honestly can't see too much opposition in the legislature to providing free rides to seniors (who also vote, btw). It pulls more seniors off the roads, who are often accident-prone, especially when they have sight or hearing impairments. How many seniors take mass transit anyway? The revenue loss wouldn't be huge, right?

The only oppostion is in figuring out who gets stuck with the bill.
If the state wants to give free rides, fine. But pass the funding first, then go decide which other program to cut to get the funding.

Because Illinois isn't running a surplus, so the money has to come from somewhere.

[Chicago3rd]

Hah Hah...you all wanted him so bad in office. He and Stroger made me vote Republican for the first time and this is exactly why. The man is not in touch with reality! So I am pissed at him...but more pissed at all the voters who put the crook in office!

This is the FIRST we have heard of such a thing from Bagofshit.

[j korzeniowski]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Hold up.... why is this such a big deal?

All the legislature can do is pass feel-good bills like the "moment of silence" crap. This fits right in with that theme, and provides Blago with a way to politically save face while allowing the tax increases that CTA/Metra/Pace need.

I honestly can't see too much opposition in the legislature to providing free rides to seniors (who also vote, btw). It pulls more seniors off the roads, who are often accident-prone, especially when they have sight or hearing impairments. How many seniors take mass transit anyway? The revenue loss wouldn't be huge, right?

well, i am under the impression that this could still fail. the senate and house have to vote on this all over again, don't they? if they do, i am worried as hell that the senate will fall 1 vote shy again.

if there is no chance this fails, fine, let the seniors ride in the engineer's cabin for all i care. i just can't believe he doesn't sign it and alleviate millions of riders' (well, hundreds of thousands) worries and sign the damn thing.

[MayorOfChicago]

Huberman's kinda cute...


but anyway.


W. T. F.!?!?!?

You have GOT to be kidding me that our worthless gov. is throwing this random crap in at the last second. Why in gods name couldn't he have mentioned this 2 months ago. Is he just doing this on purpose now? Or is he really just an 11 year old boy who likes to get a rise out of people?

Who wants to grab some torches and drive down to Springfield with me.

[nomarandlee]

Anyone think Blago really doesn't want the transit thing sorted out? I mean is know he has strange ideas and has poor people skills but I can't think of a more irresponsible maneuver then changing the goal post at the 11th hour and making a new demand out of nowhere right when things become sorted. I don't have a problem with the demand itself but it should have been made weeks/months ago and is boderline criminal to raise at the 11th hour.

[spyguy]

Let's just hope the Feds get him before it's too late.

[honte]

^ Just what I was thinking. Can't we start the requisite gubernatorial indictment ceremony a few years early this time?

[Chicago3rd]

Everyone light a candle for Fitzgerald!

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

What???? Where did this come from? Why give free rides to seniors, who are statistically one of the wealthiest age groups?

^ What about seniors who ride the CTA? I don't tend to think of wealth when I see an 80 year old lady on a bus.

I'm optimistic. Even though Blago is being a twit right now, this law will serve me well about 34 (damn that number keeps getting smaller) years from now

[ardecila]

Roughly 75% of Chicagoans oppose free rides for seniors, according to a Tribune poll.

[Chicago3rd]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ What about seniors who ride the CTA? I don't tend to think of wealth when I see an 80 year old lady on a bus.

I'm optimistic. Even though Blago is being a twit right now, this law will serve me well about 34 (damn that number keeps getting smaller) years from now

Guess you haven't live in Lakeview, Lincoln Park or Gold Coast...lol.

Why would you want to subsidize wealthy people? I stated the poor seniors...that is enough. And they needn't ride during rush hour free either.

[Chicago3rd]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Roughly 75% of Chicagoans oppose free rides for seniors, according to a Tribune poll.

I wish the Tribune would have asked a better question. Like was this the right time to interject this idea into the issue.....lol. Makes those of us who voted no on this poll look nasty.

[Abner]

Is there any transit system in America where seniors ride free? How would the CTA even implement such a harebrained policy?