From State Senator Don DeWitte:
Legislation to Reform Public Transit Stalls
A great deal of time was spent over the last three years to develop a new governance and funding structure for the six-county regional transit area, which includes Chicago, and the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will.
On the Senate Transportation Committee, on which I serve as Minority Spokesperson, detailed hearings and bipartisan discussion have been taking place for the last 18 months.
Unfortunately, the proposal ultimately brought forward near the end of session was heavily skewed toward Chicago and Cook County and became less about fair and equitable board representation and shared decision-making and funding responsibility, and more about a Chicago takeover of mass transit with suburban riders and taxpayers footing the bill.
A last-minute amendment to the bill also added a statewide [Amazon, DoorDash, etc.] delivery tax of $1.50 for almost every item delivered to a home in Illinois, adding downstate residents to the mix for funding a transit system most of them probably will rarely, if ever, use.
As negotiations broke down, my Senate Colleague Seth Lewis (R-Bartlett) and I issued the following joint statement:
“For more than 18 months, Senate Republicans have engaged in good-faith negotiations to reform our region’s public transportation system in a way that is fair, accountable, and equitable for all riders and taxpayers, including those in the collar counties of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will.
“We’ve consistently pushed for a balanced approach that ensures no single region shoulders an unfair share of the costs or is marginalized in the decision-making process.
“But today, all of that effort was undercut by a last-minute amendment that takes us in the wrong direction.
“Most troubling is the proposed $1.50 statewide delivery tax, a blanket charge on every Amazon package, every pizza, every online clothing purchase delivered to homes anywhere in Illinois.
“Whether you live in a small town downstate, a suburb, or a rural farm, Democrats want you to pay more to receive basic goods at your door.
“This is a statewide cash grab to paper over the financial failures of the Chicago Transit Authority, a system that has been mismanaged for years and is now being propped up on the backs of people who may never even ride it.
“The delivery tax would hit families, seniors, and small businesses alike, punishing responsible communities, all for a billion-dollar bailout for Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the flailing CTA.
“This is not shared responsibility.
“It’s a direct pipeline from your doorstep to the City of Chicago.
“Senate Republicans offered a more balanced solution during negotiations.
“Our proposal brought city and suburban leaders together and fostered shared decision-making. That approach was rejected.”
With the majority of the collar county board chairmen/women opposed to the final version of the bill, Senate Democrats did push the measure through.
Luckily, the transit bill stalled at that point.
It was not brought up for a vote in the House.
While this was a small victory, we must remain vigilant on this issue.
Lawmakers could be called back to Springfield over the summer to seek House approval, or it could be brought forward during this fall’s veto session.
I would encourage you to contact every member of the House of Representatives and urge them to oppose the transit bill.
Our work on this measure is not finished and I will continue pushing for amendments that bring the transit bill back to its original intended purpose of fair and equitable board membership and voting authority, and a funding system that is not unfairly punitive to any segment of the region.
