SPRINGFIELD — State lawmakers are on observe towards overhauling the governance of mass transit throughout the Chicago space, however a prolonged record of proposed new taxes may derail efforts to stave off the fiscal cliff going through the CTA, Metra and Tempo.
Democratic legislators on Thursday had been totally on board with the proposal to exchange the Regional Transportation Authority with a strengthened new physique often known as the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, overseeing bus and rail service in Chicago, Prepare dinner County and the collar counties.
However as with so many points within the state Capitol in a troublesome price range 12 months, the most important query nonetheless nagged at Democratic leaders within the waning hours of the spring legislative session: who pays for it?
State Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, supplied up an inventory of income choices that he mentioned mirrored the “shared sacrifice” wanted to take care of and enhance service on the companies collectively going through a $770 million shortfall subsequent 12 months.
That features a 50-cent tollway surcharge, a redirection of a portion of suburban gross sales taxes to the brand new transit authority, an electrical car charging price, an actual property switch tax and a ten% tax on rideshares within the area. Curiosity earnings from the state street fund would additionally go towards transit initiatives.
“This was by no means going to be straightforward, undertaking the purpose of a protected, dependable, accessible, built-in public transit system throughout our area, primarily altering utterly the mannequin that was arrange 40 years in the past,” Villivalam mentioned.
Labor leaders and suburban officers slammed most of the income proposals.
“That is punitive to taxpayers in DuPage County,” State Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Oakbrook Terrace, mentioned. “I don’t see this as an equitable sacrifice.”
Illinois AFL-CIO President Tim Drea mentioned, “Illinoisans deserve higher and desire a sustainable resolution — not one which kicks the can down the street and units our state up for a future fiscal disaster.”
DuPage County Board Chair Deb Conroy mentioned the plan “steals $72 million {dollars} in DuPage tax income, imposes an area actual property switch tax with no oversight from the county and taxes suburban commuters.”
There was much less pushback towards the general governing construction of the proposed NITA — as in, “want a experience?” — which might set fares, permit for simpler transfers and assume capital planning tasks.
The governor, Chicago mayor and Prepare dinner County board president would every appoint 5 members of the 20-person board, with one every named by the board chairs of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.
Lawmakers, transit officers, labor leaders and extra have been grappling for 3 years with how one can save a transit system nonetheless struggling to return to pre-COVID-19 ridership numbers as federal pandemic aid {dollars} dry up on the finish of this 12 months. However persistent service points and buyer dissatisfaction have prompted the mantra of “no funding with out reform.”
State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, derided it as a bailout for Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson.
“Chicago and Prepare dinner County get the vast majority of the board votes; the suburbs are outvoted on nearly every little thing, fares, service cuts, tax will increase,” DeWitte mentioned. “That’s not reform, that’s a takeover.”
Villivalam acknowledged the income concepts would have to be amended for any hope of passing a invoice by midnight Saturday, when the legislative session concludes.
A separate invoice launched Wednesday by state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago, mirrors Villivalam’s measure when it comes to establishing the NITA, however doesn’t handle funding.
Some legislators advised the Solar-Instances they’d be OK with approving Delgado’s invoice, after which coming again to Springfield later this summer time to hammer out the funding. Lawmakers have already been advised to be able to return to the Capitol within the occasion of shock federal funding cuts underneath President Donald Trump’s administration.
However transit and labor leaders mentioned they want certainty on funding now to keep away from large layoffs and deep service cuts when federal {dollars} expire on the finish of the 12 months.
“There are occasions the place it takes a disaster for us to behave,” mentioned Villivalam, who estimated 3,000 transit staff may very well be laid off this summer time and not using a funding resolution.
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker hasn’t weighed in on the transit funding choices, however mentioned on Wednesday he’s towards imposing taxes which can be “broad-based and that may have a damaging affect on working households” with regards to the total state price range that lawmakers should approve by Saturday.
Funds negotiations had been nonetheless inching ahead Thursday behind closed doorways underneath the annual statehouse behavior of pushing spending talks to the very finish of the legislative clock. With two days to go earlier than the tip of session, super-majority Democrats had not revealed a full spending proposal.
“We’re working each single state of affairs to be sure that we land in a spot that’s palatable to all of us,” mentioned state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat and Home budgeteer.
