CTA accepts short-term funding fix

chicagotribune.com
CTA accepts short-term funding fix
By Jon Hilkevitch
Tribune transportation reporter
3:19 PM CDT, September 12, 2007

The CTA's top officials this afternoon accepted a $24 million funding advance proposed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to avert fare increases and service cuts set to take effect Sunday and Monday, but the agency's doomsday scenario will still take place in November unless new funds are obtained.CTA Board Chairman Carole Brown announced the short-term solution after meeting in Blagojevich's Chicago office to discuss funding proposals. Before taking effect, the move needs to be green-lighted by the RTA in a meeting scheduled for Friday.Brown said the plan will "give the legislature more time to craft a long-term funding solution for the region."Blagojevich's offer did not involve new funds. Instead, the move would accelerate state payments scheduled for the CTA in 2008, allowing the agency to maintain service for the time being.Even if the RTA approves the proposal, the CTA will have to start making cuts Nov. 4.The CTA announced plans last month to raise fares Sunday and eliminate 39 bus routes Monday unless new state funding is approved to help the transit agency balance its 2007 budget.CTA President Ron Huberman has said the contingency plan must go forward in the absence of new funding to help shore up a $110 million CTA budget deficit. Any delay, coupled with a failure to secure additional state subsidies, would render the CTA unable to meet its December payroll and force a systemwide shutdown, Huberman said.