CTA Tattler

I thought these were state monies, but the RTA would not accept them unless the Federal Transit Administration authorized them to do so--since this is technically capital assistance, meaning the transit agencies would have to shift an equal amount of money from their existing capital accounts to their operating accounts--a practice that without federal approval could call into question federal monies in those capital accounts. In other words, it's a little like legal money laundering(!)

It is definately an unusual move.

I'm sure the Feds don't want to set dangerous precidents regarding shifting capital funds for operations, but there are people in Washington who understand how doomsday would affect the national economy.

But I'm also sure that the Feds don't want to be used in some slick political game being played in Springfield. They most certainly will not bail-out the CTA/RTA if Doomsday II comes.

And I'm also sure that they have some rather heavy-handed ways of ensuring that the idiots in Springfield come up with a plan quickly.

Today we get to breath a sigh of relief. But it's not a day for celebration. Any politician who tries to grab today to proclaim victory, or lead a celebration is at best an idiot who doesn't see the big picture, or at worst, a manipulator who's hoping you don't ask any hard questions.

Even though this isn't a "loan", we now owe the Feds big-time. And they will collect. Let us never forget the idiots in Springfield who got us into this mess, and the idiots in city hall that didn't use enough of their influence to avert Doomsday sooner. And let's not forget that none of them has yet excercised any real leadership in averting Doomsday II.

The photo-ops, and chest thumping over what is essentially a bail-out for their incompetence is going to be sickening.

The only silver lining is we'll be able to ride the bus on Monday.

From what I could tell, it was federal money that was given to the state but had no specific task it was meant to go to which meant the state could do what it wanted with it. This, though, is just another stop gap. At least it's not money that's being forwarded this time.

The CTA is such an embarrassing disgrace. We'd be better off letting them fall apart and starting from scratch.

I would have liked to have seen Doomsday, take 1, just to let people know what to expect in January.

This is all Gov. Blagojevich's fault. The regional sales tax increase would've been a long-term solution that could end this stupid drama once and for all, but he has to grandstand as a friend of the working man -- then grandstand with his multiple bailouts. I hope the legislature overrides his veto out of sheer spite.

So now the next Doomsday will occur on Jan 1, when everyone has an xmas hangover & most of the legislature is out of the state.

Brilliant, just fucking brilliant!

They should have had the shutdown on Monday as planned!

"From what I could tell, it was federal money that was given to the state but had no specific task it was meant to go to which meant the state could do what it wanted with it."

That's half true.

The Federal money is given to the state to use as they see fit for any *capital* project. They can spend it on mass transit, highways, bicycles, upstate, downstate, and without justifying to the Feds that the projects they choose is more worthy than those they don't choose. But it's for capital projects, not operating expenses.

If they gave a big chunk of money to Backwater County, that money could be, for example, be used to pave a back road. Backwater county then wouldn't have to spend their own money on maintenance of the road, thus the net result is an indirect increase in operating funds. But the Federal money still technically went to a capital expense.

In the case of the CTA and RTA, dropping a ton of cash into a capital account doesn't result in the CTA or RTA being able to hold back some general funds that otherwise would have been spent if the capital money didn't come in. Using Federal funds for capital projects to indirectly increase funds available for operations will take more than creative bookkeeping at this level.

So what we're seeing is a huge effort by the Feds to save the Chicago region from the incompetence of the State of Illinois. The Feds are trying to bail-out Chicago without creating a situation that results in them suddenly having to provide operating funds to every transit agency in the country, thus draining the capital funds, and setting us on a course for an even greater disaster a decade from now.

And this is all because of the incompetence in Springfield. Let's not ever forget that.