Tuesday, May 29, 2007

News headline: CTA chief describes options he didn't choose

Options not mentioned: Godzilla, napalm, making time move slower, putting k-mad in charge, a Black Hole sucking all matter into the Howard Red Line station (although this has already failed)...

It may be bad, but it could’ve been worse.

That’s the message Chicago Transit Authority President Ron Huberman sent Tuesday in describing alternative scenarios to his recommendation of fare hikes and service cuts in the face of a $97.5-million budget shortfall.

Last week, Mr. Huberman laid out his recommendation to raise peak fares to $3.25 a trip and cut service on 63 bus lines in the first week of September if legislators in Springfield don’t come through with the money. The recommendation also includes deferring $57 million in capital spending, which would primarily cover maintenance on the agency’s aging bus and rail fleets...

Tuesday at a CTA board meeting, Mr. Huberman detailed other scenarios the CTA considered before making that recommendation. One called for raising peak fares to $7 per ride. Another suspended all service on the Brown, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple and Yellow lines, plus 107 bus routes. If the CTA were to do nothing, it would have to suspend all service and lay off its nearly 11,000 employees in October, Mr. Huberman said...

4 comments:

Smiff said...

It's a good thing you bought a car. Maybe everyone should do dat? Dan dey can tear down all the L stops and bus stations and build parking lots and towers. Plant grass on the L lines and turn them into parks. Or pave them over and turn them into bikepaths. Public transportation: it just seems like an antiquated idea. Actually, so does walking and biking. Everyone should be REQUIRED to own a car. Or just keep the Red line open and charge $20 a trip for da rich phokks going to see the Cubs lose.

k-mad said...

Can't we just lobotomize the people who ride the CTA? Then they could just ride back and forth and shut da phokk up about how crappy it is and leave da rest of us alone.

Sarge said...

People are such assholes if they think the government has a responsibility to use their tax dollars for anything besides giving the rich tax breaks for their SUVs.

I think they should make a beautiful train line that serves lime rickys and runs between Wilmette, Barrington and the Loop. There should be complimentary backrubs (the rich don't say "free") and gift baskets that change everyday and reflect seasonal or weekly themes.

Garbage should be thrown out when passing through Rogers Park or Des Plaines.

Corms said...

Dey knew the risks of being born poor.