Pace solution to budget woes ruffles feathers on RTA board

Turf wars between Chicago and suburban transit agencies could leave disabled bus riders in the lurch this fall because of a budget deficit.

RTA directors today voted down giving $8 million in funds to help plug a hole in the Pace paratransit budget.

Declining sales tax revenues and ridership increases have put Pace into the red when it comes to serving disabled riders. Pace is responsible for providing services for disabled people in Chicago and the suburbs.

At a meeting of the agency's Finance Committee, RTA Chairman Jim Reilly proposed sharing the deficit burden through Pace using $9 million in capital funds, the RTA allocating $8 million in funds shared by Pace, CTA and Metra and a third component of fare increases for paratransit on Pace.

But, competing priorities between Metra, the CTA and Pace emerged on the RTA board, which is a mix of representatives from Chicago and surrounding municipalities.

Insiders said that CTA and Metra leaders pressured some directors to hold off from backing the $8 million.

Pace Chairman Richard Kwasneski said he could not expect his board to move on the $9 million or ask riders to make sacrifices with fare hikes without the RTA's cooperation.

"Rest assured we will not have money to operate in October. This did not solve anything today," he said.

Regarding disabled riders, Kwasneski said, "These people have enough on their plates. We do not want them to have to worry about getting around in the fall."

Reilly said he will continue to work to find a solution to the impasse.