Chicago transit funding tops list of priorities for state lawmakers during veto session
Chicago transit funding tops list of priorities for state lawmakers during veto session
State lawmakers return to Springfield this week for the fall veto session with some important outstanding issues to tackle, like transit funding, insurance, and legislation related to a new Bears stadium.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - State lawmakers return to Springfield this week for the fall veto session with some important outstanding issues to tackle, like transit funding, insurance, and legislation related to a new Bears stadium.
But legislative leaders on Monday seemed to be blocking the Bears’ plans for a tax relief bill to build their Arlington Heights stadium, so it looks like the team will have to punt on that issue.
Transit funding bill
What we know:
That’s because a transit funding package is taking priority with a potentially massive $1.5 billion bill to modernize the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace.
But things have changed a bit. The Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees the state’s transit agencies, said the system’s fiscal cliff is $200 million, much less than the initial figure of $779 million. In an exclusive interview on Sunday, Gov. JB Pritzker said lawmakers are still going full steam ahead on that bill.
"You gotta fund things that you need, right?" Pritzker said. "We need downstate transit dollars. We need dollars for northern Illinois as well as we know, RTA, CTA, Pace … the money doesn't come from nowhere. Somehow, you've got to pay for these things."
Lawmakers failed to pass the bill in the spring session mainly because they couldn’t agree on where that funding should come from like fees on rideshares or deliveries.
The other part of the bill includes a consolidation of all the regional systems into an umbrella system for more coordination between CTA, Pace, and Metra.
Lawmakers would like to make it possible to, for example, a rider to get off a CTA bus right in time to board a Metra train.
Republican Deputy Minority Leader Dan Ugaste said they should focus on that and worry about funding later.
There are many other issues lawmakers will take up this week and next week, including a possible bill to put more regulations on insurance company on ever-increasing home insurance rates and energy bills.