From Where I Sit...

Can You Give Me A Ride?

Cars sales in the Chicagoland area are going to rise soon.
Our elected, ahem, leaders have been, again ahem, trying to save the public transportation services from what they like to call "Doomsday". All the, ahem sorry, important people say there is no money left to hold up the public transportation system as it exists today. Unless more money is found there will be drastic cuts to city and suburban public transportation services.

Statistically, we are talking about millions of people going from point A to point B. Those points might be work, shopping, medical, recreational, spiritual, or just going home. Many people rely heavily on public transportation. I myself have used it to get to and from work for 20 years. If it were drastically cut, it will drastically change the lives of ever person who uses and relies on public transportation.

State lawmakers are in a battle. The Chicagoland public transportation area covers only a small portion of our state. However, the service carries the equivalent of our entire state population within the span of a week. Those not effected by the public transportation services want something in return for their downstate tax dollars. I guess that's fair. Problem is these political poodles can't divvy up the pie so everybody's happy.

As important as this subject is to the whole state what are our leaders doing?
Well, the Speaker of the house, Michael Madigan of Chicago, sent people home saying "See ya next year." Our Governor is at a hockey game. I can sense the feel of Doomsday, can't you?

These wealthy wool windbags could care a less. They all make over $100,000 each year. In my 20 years using public transportation I've never seen or heard of an elected official using public transportation. That's because they're too busy taking us all for a ride.