Do we go above the abyss? Just days for legislators to save Metra, Pace and CTA from huge discounts

When the state lawmakers met in January, they faced two seasons challenge – repairing a $ 770 million deficit in the face of Metra, PACE and CTA, and reforming how these agencies control.

With 19 days before the spring session ends on May 31, the watch is directed, and officials admit.

The Metra train arrives at Metra Arlington Heights on Thursday. Less predictable from the train tables is how the General Assembly in Illinois will determine the 2026 financing gap.
AP

The Infinitum Governance article was discussed, but there was no strong examination of how to solve the cash gap. Increases in taxes, fees and fees were offered, which may mean an unwanted surprise for Ilinists in late May.

The financial cliff

Covid-19 Federal Aid dries next year and the ride remains less than prenatal levels, leaving a huge revenue gap in 2026.

The Regional Transport Authority, which oversees Metra, PACE and CTA, wants to pump $ 1.5 billion annually to transfer the system with more frequent and reliable service.

In response to a question about whether the financial statements will be fully solved by May 31, Senator Laura Murphy said, “No.”

Democrat Des Plaines said that public transport has enough money to run until 2025, and “we will not get to know or click on decision -making. We want to see how the money will be used before allocating it.”

RTA Draconian Discounts warns next year if legislators do not treat a lack of transportation in the 2026 budget this month.

“We need to solve the financial financial shelf ($ 770 million) first, and that, I think, is possible by the end of May,” said Republican Senator Don Diwit from St. Charles.

Diite, a spokesman for the Senate transport minority.

About this financing

There is Smorgasbord of ideas to collect money, which includes:

• Raise RTA sales tax or car fuel tax.

• Setting a tax, which will be complicated.

• Long walking vehicle registration fees.

• Increased fees, an idea that is likely to be Doa.

• A trial project to collect miles tax that travel to capture EV revenues.

Safety first

The regulation of home transport, roads and bridges Marti Moulan focuses on security amid fire and violence on CTA.

It supports legislation “to employ 400 police officers only for the Chicago Transit”, and gets help from the Cook County police and Illinois police because “the regime is not safe.”

Police vehicles stop outside the CTA Blue Line Forest Park on September 2, 2024, after four people were shot in a train.
AP

De Democratic De Democrats also wants funding to convert homeless individuals from CTA into better situations. “It is inhuman to sleep on the train; there are other agencies that will support them,” he said.

What next? He seeks to get a category in additional CTA.

“We cannot let the system fail, but we also need repairs,” Moulan said.

Competition repair solutions

One plan to reform the transit, supported by trade unions, will increase the RTA authority on Metra, PACE and CTA on budgets and prices. It would eliminate the four councils and integrate agencies into the “Urban Mobility Commission”. Supporters argue that MMA will be more efficient, but the leaders of the boycott of white collars claim to be reluctant to force in Chicago and Cook Province.

“Bell will not be the final version,” Murphy said. “There will be excerpts from each of them.”

It expects a new central salad to appear that offer economics and allow CTA, Metra and Pace to continue the work. But as for the preservation of transit panels with 47 members? “It is impractical,” Murphy said.

In the end, “Everyone will have a voice without controlling one group of the other.”

“My maximum priority as a suburban legislator guarantees that our societies are able to maintain topical inputs, control and control the transportation systems that we rely on,” said Democratic Senator Christina Castro from Elegen.

“There will be a newly enabled supervision council that has not yet been called, and it must have control over the operation, performance and financial well -being of all three service boards.”

He believes that Metra, PACE and CTA paintings will remain intact.

JB Pritzker Governor offers his budget title in Illinois Capitol on February 19. Time is running out to the General Assembly to reach a transit financing solution.
AP

What is more complicated, some legislators objected to a financial advertising campaign worth $ 750,000.

“For me, it was angry,” Murphy said.

The director of RTA Leanne Redden said earlier that the inputs of cyclists and taxpayers “showed that nearly half of the population were not even familiar with financial waste and that it was our commitment to inform them.”