babbling blue

For the last couple years, the CTA has had to beg, plead, threaten and cajole to get the money it needs. It is very annoying. They always come up with these horrible contingency plans that will result in both massive fare hikes and service cutbacks if they don’t get the money they need from the state.

Normally our illustrious mayor is fairly quiet on the subject of the CTA. He seems to take a fairly hands-off approach, at least publicly. So you know if he’s getting personally involved the situation is serious. The deadline for funding is quickly approaching (Sept. 15). And he’s getting involved.

“If Springfield doesn’t act, every resident will suffer through more traffic congestion, more air pollution, more absenteeism and less productivity, slower transit service and more money out of our pockets for higher fares and car travel,” Daley told about 200 sign-carrying transit advocates, union workers and others at a rally organized by the Regional Transportation Authority at the James R. Thompson Center.

I’m not a huge fan of Daley these days, but he rather nicely sums up why the CTA needs the money from the state. Mass transit is an issue that effects everyone, whether you take it yourself or not.

Our useless state government is being even more obnoxious than usual.

The RTA [Regional Transit Authority] and other transit agencies have been calling for approval of the legislation for months, but the General Assembly has been stymied by budget negotiations and personal differences between the governor and legislative leaders.

Come on, guys. Get your heads out of your asses for a minute and figure this out! I can’t decide who makes me more angry, the idiots in Springfield or the CTA itself.

Though to be fair (and I know I’m jinxing myself here) my commute was uncharacteristically quick and smooth this morning.