No more doom.
Chicago’s mass transit system will get $530 million, thanks to a bill passed by Illinois legislators Thursday that will prevent fare hikes and bus service cuts for the foreseeable future.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich threw a last-minute wrench when he demanded that the CTA give free rides to seniors. Lawmakers eventually accepted, if grudgingly – one senator likened Blagojevich to Castro.
The catch? Sales tax will go up by a quarter-cent per dollar starting April 1. Oh, and updating decrepit buses, tracks and equipment could cost up to $10 billion, according to the Regional Transit Authority’s chairman.