Jack Lavin, of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and Will Johnson, of The Harris Poll: "The issues of revenue and reform are never easy, but the public’s opposition to new taxes for a vital service with wide support should not be surprising. Residents and businesses across Chicago already face a high tax and fee burden and worry about shouldering more costs amid widespread economic uncertainty due to rising tariffs, persistent inflation, state and local budget deficits and unprecedented threats to critical federal funding."
We are told of the wonderful contribution of $2.5 Billion to Chicagoland’s economy from the RTA and its operating wings CTA/Metra/Pace. Let’s look at the 2023 financial statement for the CTA. These are the most recent ones available on the CTA website. By their own numbers, the CTA took in $328.8 Million at the farebox. The CTA spent $2423.8 Million to provide rides paid for by farebox revenue. For every dollar the CTA took in to operate its system, the CTA lost $6.37. It gets worse. The CTA also spent $3.5 Billion to maintain their system, this represented the 2023… Read more »
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
We are told of the wonderful contribution of $2.5 Billion to Chicagoland’s economy from the RTA and its operating wings CTA/Metra/Pace. Let’s look at the 2023 financial statement for the CTA. These are the most recent ones available on the CTA website. By their own numbers, the CTA took in $328.8 Million at the farebox. The CTA spent $2423.8 Million to provide rides paid for by farebox revenue. For every dollar the CTA took in to operate its system, the CTA lost $6.37. It gets worse. The CTA also spent $3.5 Billion to maintain their system, this represented the 2023… Read more »