Yesterday there was an eventful meeting of City Council's Committee on Transportation and the Public Way. The committee passed a resolution by Ald. Bill Conway (34th) pushing the CTA to increase its enforcement of no smoking rules by coordinating with law enforcement and releasing ticketing numbers. The measure will go before the full Council for a final vote.
Snuffing out smoking on transit is important for providing a healthy environment, especially for seniors, kids, and people with respiratory issues. Moreover, lighting up on trains makes the trip unpleasant for others, which deters ridership.
The latest on transit funding negotiations
But an even more urgent issue at the hearing, which served as one of the committee's quarterly meetings with CTA brass, was Chicagoland's looming $771 million transit fiscal cliff. If the budget gap isn't addressed soon, it's projected that the region's three public transportation systems will have to cut some 40 percent of service and lay off 3,000 employees.
On May 31, at the very end of Illinois' spring legislative session, the Senate passed HB 3438 to raise up to $1.5 billion to maintain and improve Chicagoland transit, and provide $200 million to downstate systems. However, the House didn't vote on the measure, so the future of local bus and train service is still in limbo.
"State action on transit funding and reform is urgently needed to address the pending fiscal cliff not just for 2026 but to establish sustainable investment in the regional transit system for years to come," a person with close knowledge of the situation told Streetsblog today. "Illinois is unique in that it’s the only state of those with similar legacy systems to not yet take any action on its fiscal cliff."
The presentation at the July 24 Regional Transportation Authority board meeting covered what other states are doing to address transit funding challenges facing the NYC, Los Angeles, Bay Area, Boston, and Philly systems.
Last week HB 3438 sponsor Sen. Ram Villivalam told Streetsblog the decision whether to hold an emergency summer session to pass the bill is up to Governor JB Pritzker, Senate President Don Harmon, and House Speaker Chris "Emanuel" Welch.
During a press conference last week at the 100th anniversary celebration for Chicago Union Station, Gov. Pritzker said, "At the moment, I don’t see any reason why we would have a special session." But he added, "Having said that... every day is different. We may have to deal with something sooner."
Testimony at the committee meeting
So the impending monetary chasm was the main priority for many of the public commenters at yesterday's transportation committee hearing. One of them was Lynn Cardez, an urban planner and veteran with disabilities. She said she has had many injuries and surgeries, and stopped driving a decade ago. "Public transportation is my lifeline," she said. "I also think of it as the place where I might meet the future Mr. Cardez." Attendees laughed.
"[Transit cuts are] going to affect those at the lowest rung of the ladder, disabled people and working class people," Cardez added. "We are the economic engine of the state, and we all know that what we do here funds the programs that help the people down south." She asked the alderpersons, "Please call our state officials to urge them to call a special session for this funding bill."
"The [$771] million budget shortfall we're facing would completely devastate our city and destroy the quality of life for so many of our residents," said 42nd Ward resident Niall Aurora. "So we really need our City Council to call Governor Pritzker, Senate President Harmon and House Speaker Welch, and demand the summer session. The money we need is only 1 percent of the Illinois state budget, but without it, we lose so much as a city."
Access Living Senior Transportation Policy Analyst Laura Saltzman praised the CTA's achievements in making the system more accessible, including the four new ADA-compliant 'L' stations that recently debuted in Edgewater and Uptown. "I hope alders understand that we will have no positive changes, and roll back of the many improvements we have seen over the last several months under [Acting CTA President Nora] Leerhsen, without fixing the fiscal cliff. And while that may be mostly the responsibility of the state, you're going to hear about it from residents if there are 40 service cuts."
Leerhsen's remarks
Leerhsen was there to represent the agency, and when it was her turn to address the room, she also focused on the urgency of the fiscal crisis. But first she took a moment to introduce herself, saying that she's worked a the CTA for the last ten years, and is "deeply and personally passionate about the success of the CTA." Transit advocates in the room were pleased to hear that, unlike her predecessor Dorval Carter Jr., she uses the system on a regular basis, racking up over 450 bus and train trips over the last year.
Leerhsen went on to discuss hiring over 5,000 employees in the last two years; infrastructure; recent service improvements such the Frequent Bus Network pilot; bus and train tracking upgrades; smoking; the CTA Chatbot; the agency's new podcast; and virtually every other aspect of the system. She said she's gone on a listening tour to learn more about the work environment. "I've spoken with hundreds of [employees] about their experience at CTA, and I leave every exchange with valuable information to inform my decisions as their leader."
When it came to discussing the agency's funding challenges, Leerhsen said, "I know that top of mind for all of us, as indicated in our public comment today, is CTA's fiscal situation. Like transit agencies across the country, CTA is facing a budget gap beginning in 2026, when federal Covid relief funds run out."
"We're working with state legislators to implement a solution that sets CTA on a course to not just survive, but thrive," she continued. "As you know, a legislative solution has not yet been signed into law... But to put it plain and simply, public transit in our region needs to be funded or we will face drastic service cuts." She called analyzes of that doomsday scenario "stark and sobering," adding. "The economic and social impact that cuts could have on our city and our region are staggering."
Leerhsen ended her discussion of the cash abyss on a glass-half-full note. "While this time is challenging, what we have seen across all levels of government and community groups is an ever mounting, unprecedented advocacy for the value of public transit," she said. "My philosophy and approach to this is to use this time as one to bridge bonds across all of us, to envision and implement a CTA that carries our city into a flourishing and vibrant future."
Will Leerhsen get to keep the job?
Transit boosters indicated that they were impressed with Leershen's performance at the hearing, and she seems well-prepared for dealing with the CTA's future challenges. For example, advocate Cyrus Dowlatshahi told me during the meeting, "The CTA president is really impressive." As such, Mayor Brandon Johnson should think hard about whether to pick the popular acting president for the permanent job.
That would be a wiser choice than, say, the City's former chief operating officer John Roberson, a person with no transit expertise, whom the mayor was reportedly favoring. But shortly after a bonkers incident where Roberson's ex-boss Ald. David Moore (17th) told CTA board members they would be "backbiting snakes" if they didn't support the mayor's pick, Roberson took a job with the Obama Foundation.
Today the Sun-Times' Fran Spielman reported that a City Hall source said there's a "40 percent chance" Leehrsen will get the gig. If that does happen, she'll be the first woman to permanently run the CTA in its 78-year history.
Watch the video of the Committee on Transportation and the Public Way hearing here.
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