CTA Tattler

A point to ponder as we do our Form 1040 (even if it's wrong)

My wife was riding the No. 80 Irving Park bus last week, when she noticed a strange-looking bus ad. She got a little closer, and saw that someone had removed a regular ad panel from the brackets across the top of the bus, flipped it over and and written what turns out to be a flawed screed. It was scrawled in ball point pen:

"Where is the law that says you MUST pay income taxes?

"Have you ever seen it? Have you ever asked?

"Well I'm telling you, there is no law saying you have to pay income taxes.

"Ask to see the law before you blindly follow."

Or save yourself some trouble and ask Wesley Snipes.

Better still, read the Constitution of the United State, Article I, Section 8:

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States"

And in 1913, the 16th Amendment further clarified things for us poor schmoe taxpayers after the U.S. Supreme Court had declared the income tax unconstitutional in 1895:

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

But hey, nice try buddy. Hope you have a good lawyer.

Vote with the transit mess in mind on Election Day

Today is Primary Election Day in Illinois, a time for voters in each party to decide on a slate of candidates for the General Election on Nov. 4.

While the presidential primary is getting the most buzz (Go Barack!), we're also deciding who should run for seats in the state Legislature. You know, that bunch of knuckleheads who stalemated and stagnated for months on end while we suffered through three Doomsday scenarios?

In the end, they got the job done and passed a small regional sales tax increase to fund operations for the CTA, Metra and Pace. But during those painful months of indecision and political gamesmanship, many of us here vowed never to vote for these folks again -- particularly Gov. Blagojevich. Unfortunately, Rod is not on the ballot.

But if your legislator did not support HB 656, then you should not support him or her. While I don't have the vote tally, I'm fairly certain that most legislators in Chicago and most of the area that the RTA serves voted for the transit bill. So what to do?

Well, if you live in the 14th Senate District on the Far South Side of Chicago, you should not vote for Senate President Emil Jones. He did the governor's bidding throughout this mess, and refused to call for votes in the Senate some House-supported transit bills that Rep. Julie Hamos got passed.

If you live in the 22nd House District, House Speaker Michael Madigan is your representative. His feuding with Blago prolonged the "Doomsday" crisis, though he did work with Hamos to get bills passed.

Our real chance as voters to vote with this transit mess in mind comes in 2010 Democratic Primary when Blagojevich no doubt will run for re-election. Let's hope we have memories like elephants.

Real estate lobby ramps up campaign against CTA property transfer tax hike

With the Chicago City Council poised to vote on the final piece of the CTA funding packages as early as Wednesday -- the 40% hike in property transfer tax -- the real estate lobby is pouring big bucks into a campaign to shoot it down.

The Illinois Assn. or Realtors and the Chicago Assn. of Realtors are tag teaming  aldermen, calling it the "wrong tax on the wrong people at the wrong time." Their argument is:

"This tax will make housing in Chicago less affordable. It will slow business and economic growth in the city. And it will discourage the creation of new jobs. While federal lawmakers work on an economic stimulus package, the Chicago City Council is planning to rush through a tax increase that will slow down our economy."

Frankly, I don't really believe all of that, and I'm not sure they can prove it. The buyer would pay the transfer tax; and on a $250,000 home that would mean an additional $750 for a total tax of$3,000. But those fees are generally rolled into the mortgage and amortized over 30 years, so the monthly hit to the pocketbook would be additional $6 per month at 6% interest on a $250,000 loan.

CTA President Ron Huberman said: "The real estate transfer tax is a critical component of the holistic transit funding package approved by the General Assembly.  It is a smart investment that will allow the CTA to implement pension and health care reforms that will save $11 million a month in the operating budget.  That is money that can be better used to support day to day operations."

And we got into this pension mess by diverting pension funds the last few years to pay rising operating expenses under the previously flawed state funding formula.

Judging from what I've read and from talking to my own alderman, it appears that most aldermen aren't necessarily happy about raising the tax rate, but feel they have no choice. "If not this tax, then what?" asked 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore. "This is the least unappealing alternative. The only choice we have is to support this tax or face a huge shortfall at the CTA."

Friday news mix: Brown Line closed in Loop Saturday

Track work on the Wells Street Bridge will close the Brown Line in the Loop from 1 am till 5 pm Saturday. Riders headed to the Loop can transfer to the Red Line at Fullerton. The CTA will also provide a shuttle bus between the Merchandise Mart and Clark-Lake El stations.

Slow zone work on Red Line subway. Trains will ride on a single track from Roosevelt to Grand as slow zone work continues. Northbound Red Line riders will board on the southbound side from midnight till 4 am Saturday. This work has been under way all week, and will continue.

Haikus hug Harrison station walls. Jones College Prep High School and Columbia College students crafted some handsome haikus to adorn the walls of the Red Line Harrison station. See the Tribune story here. My daughter and her friends are Jones students, and they contribute some great Tattler tales here. So a tip of the hat to them.