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“We provide 84 percent of the region’s rides, and yet we get less than half of the funding to support that,” said Tom McKone, the chief financial officer of the Chicago Transit Authority. “That’s inequity that was based on the formula that was put in place in 1983 so as we’re talking about reform and we’re talking about the funding that’s needed, we really need to address the inequities that are present in that funding formula.”
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Audio and summary Why the Holdup Using Artificial Intelligence to Cut Illinois Government Costs? – Wirepoints
May 19, 2026
10 Comments
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.
Note to readers from Mark Glennon re: Ukraine
May 6, 2026
4 Comments
Everybody needs a side hustle these days, and mine is Ukraine, where I am now.
Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer – Chicago’s struggling commercial real estate and more
April 22, 2026
5 Comments
Summary and audio linked here.
This one is fun. After reading this transit love letter from Wilmette Talking to Winnetka’s own Emily Soto and mister Photoshop himself, Nick Blumberg, I went to the following article: Transit’s Ride into Irrelevance – The Antiplanner From there I went to the US Census estimated commutation data for 2023. What I saw there was mildly hilarious. Right off the bat, I knew something was amiss over by our Census Bureau, since they listed “Light rail, streetcar or trolley (carro público in Puerto Rico)” as a category for the four-county area of Northeastern Ilinois with 2,809 riders. Sharp readers will… Read more »
Like the article you posted this is nothing but a money grab to destroy the suburbs. Don’t forget railroader the union contracts, will the members be in favor of this consolidation. This will be a long drawn out process. Union members beware.
I wouldn’t bet on any changes for covered CTA/Metra/Pace employees. I also don’t anticipate any of the political animals controlling those operating arms or warming chairs at the RTA getting the ax either. This is another equity-based money grab by one government agency in Chicago, much like CPS demanding that taxpayers in Cairo, IL, pay for CPS’s overspending and mismanagement. The same mid- and top-feeder political animals will still make appointments to these boards from their friends and pals who will play ball. This transit agency ‘merger’ is a distraction from the Executive Directors’ desire that the farebox recovery ratio… Read more »
Also, there’s that word “reform” again. Keep holding on to your wallet.
Of course they don’t want to merge. This is all about self survival and protecting their power. Rides are down and expenses are up. Time to slash and burn. Maybe next time those people waiting for a ride will think about the consequences of their vote.