It shouldn’t have taken a PhD in economics to notice this – Wirepoints Quickpoint
May 17, 2024
57 Comments
What a representation of Chicago’s plight.
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Illinois lawmakers to propose merging Chicago area’s transit agencies, amid CTA complaints and looming budget woes – Chicago Tribune/MSN
The proposal is part of a broader look at transit funding, as the region’s public transit agencies face a combined $730 million budget hole once federal COVID-19 relief funding starts running out, which could be as soon as 2025. SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER
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Twelve Illinois Congressmen vote against bill to give federal custody to non-citizen defendants charged or convicted with assaulting cops – Wirepoints Quickpoint
May 17, 2024
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The bill passed despite their votes in response to certain incidents where local prosecutors are thought to have been too lenient with non-citizens assaulting cops.
The Chicago Teachers Union Plays Hooky – Wirepoints in the Wall Street Journal*
May 17, 2024
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The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board cited Wirepoints’ analysis of Chicago student proficiency data in their latest piece condemning the Chicago Teachers Union’s outrageous contract demands…all while a vast majority of Chicago’s children graduate unable to read at grade level.
Gov. Pritzker is using the threat of budget cuts to get more tax hikes passed – Wirepoints joins Tom Miller of WJPF Carbondale
May 17, 2024
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Ted joined Tom Miller of WJPF to talk about the details of Gov. Pritzker’s proposed $52 billion budget, why the state is struggling now that federal covid dollars have run out, the controversy surrounding Tier 2 government pensions, why Illinois’ expensive education system fails to teach children to read, the outrageous demands of the Chicago Teachers Union, and more.
Public education staffing has ballooned over the years…yet kids still can’t read – Wirepoints on with Jeff Daly of WZUS Decatur Radio
May 17, 2024
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Ted joined Jeff Daly to discuss how politicians can never spend enough on education despite there being no accountability for that spending, the growth of education staffing across Illinois, Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $1 billion demand for Chicago schools, why Gov. Pritzker is providing $830 million in taxpayer subsidies to struggling EV carmaker Rivian, and more.
So you have three incompetent agencies and someone thinks that by combining them you will have LESS competency? I would like to blame the powers at be at these places, but to be honest, I’ve seen so many non-government companies be just a stupid. The CTA could be fixed by enforcing their own rules. The main thing is homeless and cellphones. I miss the old peaceful days where you could ride a bus and just relax. Now there is NEVER and I do mean NEVER a time when you get on a bus or train, with some moron blaring his… Read more »
Public transportation changed forever with Covid, and even more so in Chicago, which decided to let the inmates and felons take over the city to such an extent that nobody wants to work downtown if they can avoid it. How did the public transportation entities respond? Did they make budget changes to adapt to the new reality? Not a chance! They took the free Covid bucks and put their heads in the sand. They’re praying that Dementia Joe and the mail in voters will deliver unto them another boatload of free cash. They will do absolutely nothing to address the… Read more »
Chicago is far too large of a metro area to shuffle 1,000,000+ people to and from downtown five days a week between 9 am and 5 pm. It’s an antiquated model based on an antiqued design. Shuffling commuters to a city center works more intelligently designed cities and spread out sunbelt cities. It’s a nightmare in a large city like Chicago that is a big downtown surrounded by 100+ miles of sprawl in either direction. It’s how you end up with 60 minute non-express commutes from downtown to Barrington. Think about that: The 6:35 pm train out of the C&NW… Read more »
Never going to happen. If it does expect that there will be no savings and no headcount reduction.
It was just a matter of time before the losers
At the Chicago Trainwreck Authority would come and try to steal suburban dollars.
Simple solution, if you can’t afford it shut it down.
This is more correct than you think. The fiscal cliff that Sarah Freishtat insists is in the future is actually right here, right now. The time to do something about it is now, but government types can only manage via crisis, especially crises that they officials themselves create. Riders are still not coming back, no matter if the trains run every ten minutes or on the half hour. Buses run nearly uncontaminated by paying customers 97% of the time, with their lonely drivers even being assaulted by Chicago’s Soros-liberated thug element. The time for cutbacks in expenditures, beginning with expensive… Read more »
I live near a PACE bus line and the one bus that runs every hour is nearly empty. It must cost upwards of $100 per bus ride to keep that system alive.
From PACE reports…
It was $16.86 in pure subsidy per passenger in FY 2022 for Suburban Services. These are the mostly empty buses run mainly for the benefit of the operating crews.
At the same time, the ADA services racked up $73.46 per passenger in taxpayer subsides. This service I don’t expect to break even, nor would I complain about it.
You absolutely have a right to complain about $73.46 subsidies per ride for disabled passengers. That’s outrageously high.
Yup, it’d be much more reasonable cost – wise to utilize Uber/Lyft… the same for suburban PACE services… the PACE buses up here around Evanston were sparsely utilized pre – Covid, and they are even emptier now. Basically, the homeless up here use those buses as a “mobile homeless shelter”, as that seems to be the main passenger demographic these days…
Railroader, we sure appreciate informed commenters like you.
Looks like everyone’s in favor of consolidation except CTU/Brandon? He’s probably worried about losing 100% control of pay-to-play CTA union (ATU) campaign donation $bucks$.
If consolidation happens could this set precedent for consolidation of crazy 7,000 units of gov?