Mass Transit

I believe that state-of-the-art mass transit is essential for the health and well-being of all Illinoisans, and especially residents of the 39th district. The Blue Line El train and many bus routes are important landmarks in our district, providing a viable means of daily
transportation to our residents.

Mass transit in Chicago and the entire state of Illinois not only needs updated equipment, but expanded routes and lower fares. Rail transit is a low-cost method of transit, and emits a fraction of the pollution and CO2 emitted from cars and trucks.

I envision a Chicago where our neighbors readily choose public transit because it is faster, cheaper, and more reliable than auto travel. In Illinois, none of these conditions characterize our mass transit infrastructure. Car congestion in the city is at an all-time high, and thousands of hours are wasted each day by citizens who have no option but to travel to and from their daily activities by car.

Mass transit needs to be funded at a far greater level than it is today, and we need permanent sources for this funding. Our state legislature's inability to prioritize mass transit funding has left millions of federal dollars on the table. Illinois Congressmen and women continue to demand that our General Assembly pass legislation so all of us can reap the benefits of federal transportation funds ready for the taking.

As documented by the Illinois Public Interest Research Group, transit funding should either correct market failures by discouraging pollution and sprawl or target revenues from those who will most benefit from the reduced congestion brought about by transit. For example, impact fees paid by developers could help ensure that new development pay its fair share of public infrastructure needs, including transit, to accommodate new growth. Another option could include an increase in license, registration and title taxes based on vehicle fuel efficiency or miles traveled.

I won't sit idly by - as many of you will in your cars on the way to work - while our mass rail infrastructure races to the bottom, being one of the most unreliable, costly, and archaic systems in the world.