Frank Beal, the head of Metropolis 2020 and rumored to be the author of this blog, took a whack at the critics of the funding plan in SB 572 in a letter to the editor in the Daily Herald.
The letter is a bit hard to find so I paste it in below for the convenience of the reader:
Funding formula is no windfall for city
Eric Krol’s July 13 column on RTA funding (“Why some suburban lawmakers oppose RTA plan”) was useful because it addresses an issue that is of critical importance to the economic health of the region. It was, however, less than useful in explaining the proposed tax increases and how they are allocated.
In 2006, the five collar counties paid about $119 million for transit service.
Suburban Cook County paid about $395 million and the city of Chicago paid $231 million.
Under the proposed new legislation, taxes would increase by about $100 million in the city of Chicago, $100 million in suburban Cook County and $120 million in the collar counties.
As the article pointed out, 60 percent of the new revenue would go to the CTA, 30 percent to Metra and 10 percent to Pace. This distribution is comparable to the allocations that have been in place since 1984.
Further, it is important to remember that over 80 percent of all transit trips in the region are on the CTA, and that the CTA serves over 60 percent of the transit riders in suburban Cook County — more than the combined ridership of Metra and Pace.
The implication that this legislation gives the CTA some kind of windfall — and that its benefits go disproportionately to Chicago — is just not correct.
Finally, the business community does not look at this issue the way some politicians do. Business leaders know that a healthy, 21st century region has to have a strong transit system to get employees to work and customers to their stores, and to reduce the traffic congestion that is paralyzing the economy.
They don’t keep a city vs. suburbs score card. They care only about a region that works together to help the economy.
Frank Beal
Executive Director
Chicago Metropolis 2020
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2 comments:
As usual, Beal does an excellent job of representing his association's interests. How about picking up some of the costs of those transfer payments eh Frank?
No not them, they expect that the commodity will pay its own way to their market. And contribute some sales tax during breaks too. Beautiful. What happened to the regional goal of reducing automobile trips? Or are we to ignore the fact that the overwhelming majority of the regional work trips don't go to (Frank's member's holdings) the CBD. Hey--I guess Frank would claim the right of primogenitur--right?
"Finally, the business community does not look at this issue the way some politicians do. Business leaders know that a healthy, 21st century region has to have a strong transit system to get employees to work and customers to their stores, and to reduce the traffic congestion that is paralyzing the economy."
No taxes proposed on business, however, even though it benefits, just on the consumer.
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