Illinois – On Sunday, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned without finalizing a solution to the so-called transit fiscal cliff–the Northeast Illinois transit agencies’ $770 million budget deficit. As a result, CTA, Metra, and Pace will face dramatic cuts, transit workers will be laid off, and everyday transit riders, visitors, and commuters across the state will be left in the lurch. The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC) released the following statement:
“For two years, transit and environmental advocates, labor unions, transit agencies, elected leaders across the state, and transit riders themselves have been sounding the alarm that going over the transit fiscal cliff will massively disrupt Illinois’ economy, fracture service for the millions of riders who use the system daily to get to work, doctor’s appointments, and educational opportunities, and threaten the jobs of thousands of transit workers. Today, we are even closer to that reality.
“We applaud the State Senate for passing HB3438 to avert this crisis, and commend Leader Villivalam, Leader Delgado, and Leader Buckner for their tireless work to negotiate a solution. It was clear in the conversations that advocates had with legislators over the last several weeks that there is deep support for significant reforms. Legislators know that we will not have the transit system we deserve until we create a structure of governance that promotes collaboration across the region. However, the reforms must be paired with a $1.5 billion annual investment so that we don’t just plug the funding hole, but truly transform the system. HB3438 would do this, and provide significant investment in transit service for downstate communities.
“Should the Illinois General Assembly need to reconvene to address the impact of the federal budget once Congress passes the bill this summer, we urge state lawmakers to use that opportunity for state action to also address our transit crisis. We stand ready to continue working with Gov. Pritzker, the House, Senate, and other stakeholders to finalize governance reforms and partner them with a $1.5 billion investment to avert the transit fiscal cliff this year.”
info@ilcleanjobs.org