Transit tax hike backers have legislative clout, but maybe not enough
Supporters of a sales tax hike for transit showed off their broad clout Tuesday in a rally that included politicians ranging from Batavia's mayor to House Speaker Michael Madigan.
"This is a good, sound piece of legislation. It should be enacted as soon as possible," Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, said in a brief speech before a crowd of several hundred cheering union workers, senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.
But after months of commercials, lobbying and publicity-grabbing news conferences, the push to raise sales taxes for transit continues to sputter as fare hikes and service cuts tick closer.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Republican leaders and Senate President Emil Jones remain on the sidelines. In particular, Blagojevich is arguing against raising sales taxes and for closing unidentified corporate tax loopholes to bring cash to the CTA, Metra and Pace.
Many Republicans want a major state public works measure to build new schools, roads and train lines before they put the needed votes on the tax hikes.
Jones, meanwhile, is just waiting and watching. And this all comes after three months of continued division among lawmakers and the governor over health care and education funding.
The transit funding plan will raise sales taxes in Chicago and the collar counties a quarter percentage point to bring in about $280 million for Metra, Pace and the CTA. Another $100 million would flow into the CTA from a Chicago real estate transfer tax, and about $70 million would come to all three agencies from the state's general tax fund.
Another quarter percentage point tax also is in the plan for the collar counties to use on road or transit upgrades.
In all, the hike would add 50 cents to every $100 spent on merchandize and raise the overall sales tax in some suburbs to 10 percent, or $10 for every $100 spent.
Blagojevich, who campaigned on a no-new-tax pledge, is opposed to this funding scenario but wants to address the $240 million shortfall in the transit system, spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said.
"A sales tax sort of defeats the whole goal of sparing people from having to pay more," she said.
The governor has pledged to veto the sales tax hikes, making it more difficult for transit officials to persuade lawmakers to support them. Transit officials say they remain open to other ideas, but time is running out.
"If we could sit down and discuss viable alternatives, that would be great, but we have never been called into a meeting to discuss that recently," Regional Transportation Authority Director Steve Schlickman said.
On Tuesday, the rally was filled with those most likely to be affected by the planned fare increases and service cuts: the elderly and disabled.
Under the CTA's plan, fares will rise to $3 from $2, and 39 bus routes will be cut Sept. 16. On the same day at Pace, local fares will rise from $1.25 to $1.50 and about two dozen routes will get the ax.
Additional fare hikes and service cuts at Pace, the CTA and Metra will be coming by the end of the year if no new tax dollars are forthcoming. For example, Pace will cut all Metra feeder routes in December, and Metra officials are eyeing a 10 percent fare hike and weekend service cuts.
Rally speakers Tuesday tied the transit funding issue to the environment and overall congestion in the area in their plea to garner more support for the plan.
"It is a quality of life and an economic development issue," DuPage County Chairman Bob Schillerstrom said. "We need it now."