SPRINGFIELD — Two key negotiators on public transit reform in the Illinois House filed a bill Tuesday to raise up to $2 billion for public transit by taxing entertainment and the unrealized investment gains of billionaires.
Chicago area public transit agencies have for months argued that new funding is necessary to avert a funding shortfall and service cuts. All three of those agencies—the CTA, Metra, and PACE—provide service in Evanston.
Even as Chicago Democrats Kam Buckner and Eva-Dina Delgado indicated they believed the measure would pass in the House, it still has a long way to go before making it to Gov. JB Pritzker for his signature. The Senate passed its own funding plan in May that included a controversial per-package delivery fee, but it went nowhere in the House.
Delgado said the proposal represents what House Democrats think are the best solutions to pay for public transportation. She described a tax on rideshares, deliveries, and real estate transfers that the Senate passed in May as “definitely concerning” to House Democrats.
Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the House’s proposal.
Buckner and Delgado said that of the $1.5 billion to $2 billion that would be raised, about $220 million would go to downstate transit agencies.
The bill would include a series of reforms similar to what the Senate passed this spring to create a stronger oversight board in the region and improve fare and schedule integration.
“We heard the characterization over the last three or four months that this couldn’t be a Chicago bailout,” Buckner told Capitol News Illinois. “So, No. 1, what is in this bill is very clear that it is a transformative transit package for the entire state of Illinois. No. 2, when you look at what we’re asking in order to get to that number…”
### New Transit Oversight
The reforms in the proposal are similar to those passed by the Senate in May. The bill would create the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, which would be a stronger version of the RTA and would have the ability to establish a universal fare system and coordinate scheduling between the three service agencies.
“Complete consolidation was going to be problematic for us and we knew that each of these agencies kind of had their own flavor, but it was important that they were able to work together under one umbrella,” Buckner explained.
The board would be comprised of 20 members:
– Five appointed by the mayor of Chicago
– Five appointed by the Cook County Board president
– Five appointed by the governor
– Five collectively appointed by Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane, and Will counties
This makeup has drawn criticism from some suburban leaders who fear it will limit their ability to affect public transportation decisions.
The bill would also create a law enforcement task force focused on targeting hot spots for public safety issues on the transit systems. Other roles within the task force would include de-escalating conflicts and addressing homelessness and mental illness issues that can sometimes escalate into public safety concerns.
“Policing may be a part of that, but it is not the solution to everything,” Delgado said. “So we have to look at what makes somebody feel safe on the system. Part of it has to do with getting more people on that system because when you’re in a full train, you feel pretty safe.”
### What’s In It for Downstate?
Transit agencies outside the Chicago area face their own funding challenges as a formula in Illinois law that directs a portion of sales tax revenue to downstate transit agencies becomes less lucrative. Those agencies are estimated to need $200 million in new revenue.
Delgado said about $220 million of the new revenue would go to transit agencies outside the Chicago area.
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This bill represents a significant effort to secure sustainable funding and improved oversight for public transit throughout Illinois, benefiting both urban and downstate communities.
https://evanstonnow.com/new-bill-filed-to-fund-mass-transit/
