3 Days Left before Doomsday, drama unfolds
With three days left to go before the first round of service cuts and fare hikes hits Northeast Illinois’ transit network, the governor, Mayor Daley, legislative leaders, and transit officials have all been players in an unfolding drama, with the fate of the 39 bus routes and the thousands of commuters who rely on them yet to be determined. When the day began, Illinois House speaker Michael Madigan was planning to call for a vote on SB 572, a bill that would immediately provide a long-term funding source for transit. Even if the bill passed the House, it was unlikely that the Illinois Senate would have time to consider the bill before the Monday transit doomsday.
Governor Blagojevich, however, announced that he would authorize a grant of $21 million to CTA and Pace in order to keep the services running normally through the end of the year. The money would come from unallocated federal funds. However, the direct granting of the money to the service boards requires the approval of the Federal Transit Authority (FTA). Currently, officials at the FTA are deliberating about whether to approve the grant. Transit officials in the region have said they will accept the money if the FTA agrees to the bailout.