Garrett gets pushback from Pace over inspector general

State Sen. Susan Garrett's pursuit of an independent watchdog overseeing regional transit agencies was met once again by a less-than-enthusiastic reception, this time from Pace.

The Lake Forest Democrat spoke to the Pace board Wednesday in Arlington Heights about her proposed bill that would create an inspector general's office at the Regional Transportation Authority. Garrett's proposal was received by an equally unimpressed RTA board in October. She said she had been hoping the Pace board would be a leader in supporting the measure, but still plans on pursuing the legislation during the upcoming veto session in Springfield despite its failure to move out of committee last spring.

Since the RTA has oversight of Metra and Pace, the new post would have investigative authority over those agencies as well. The RTA also oversees the Chicago Transit Authority, but that agency has had an inspector general for more than a decade.

And therein lies the rub. The CTA's inspector general is appointed by the CTA board.

Garrett's proposal for an RTA inspector general calls for the post to be appointed by state's attorneys from counties served by the agency. That's to keep the position “an arm's length” from the board, Garrett said. Her proposal also calls for the RTA inspector general to have access to CTA information and investigations.

Pace directors said they are not interested in having different rules for different agencies.

“We have been on record saying we support the office of inspector general,” said Pace board Chairman Richard Kwasneski. “But we want to be consistent. We want to be treated the same way as everybody else.”

But Garrett argues the agencies aren't uniform now without an inspector general for all the transportation entities.

“There hasn't been consistency for the past 11 years,” she said. “Things have changed over the last decade and it might have been appropriate 10 or 11 years ago for a board to appoint their own inspector general, but those days are gone.”

The watchdog issue stems from the financial scandal at Metra that embroiled the agency in controversy earlier in the year.