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Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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Public transit was the backbone of the Chicago region’s workforce and economy. Not so much anymore. Ridership levels declined through 2019, then dropped by over half and recovered only a bit, carrying only 61-63% of its 2019 ridership. The executive directors continued to run their feifdoms as if they still carried those old ridership numbers though, and Uncle Fed paid the bills. The executive directors wasted trainloads of cash on empty trains and buses. They wasted even more on overengineered electric junk that in short order was parked in back of the shops, making rust outlines on the ground. At the… Read more »
Railroader, do you have a suggestion for how to word a FOIA request to CTA if we want to find out service/performance record of their electric buses? Or is there an easier way to find out? Anecdotally, I am often told the buses are constantly in their repair yard. Electric buses, that is.
The name of the game is ‘Availability’ by day, if the CTA even tracks that and if they don’t they should. Availability is how many units in each number series are available for service on any given day. Descending from there, we can get to ‘LUGO – Laid-up Good Order’ for minor defects. ‘LUBO – Laid-up Bad Order’ for major problems, ‘HBO – Heavy Bad Order’ for major issues and wrecked/obsolete/parts units. Daily availability by number class should be your starting point, the easiest stat for them to get. If the CTA employs a Master Mechanic, that person should have… Read more »
Thank you.
Remember, ask by unit numbers or Unit series only. Don’t mention the type of equipment, or they might…delay their response.
Thank you.
Organized labor unions, under “United We Move” have introduced SB1938 which, amongst other things, recommends a driver mileage tax dedicated to METRA, PACE,CTA as a permanent funding solution. And of course they’re opposed to merging the 3 agencies, any cuts, etc, etc
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=1938&GAID=18&GA=104&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=161278&SessionID=114
Here’s the house bill HB2963 complimentary to SB1938 recommending a driver mileage tax dedicated to METRA, PACE,CTA introduced by rep Evans:
https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2963&GAID=18&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=114&GA=104
Here’s Rep Evans on WGN wearing the knee pads for “United We Move” $$$unions$$$:
https://wgnradio.com/lisa-dent/united-we-move-illinois-plan-will-reform-public-transit/