Suburban Legislators with a Cost-Benefit Analysis Impairment

Any suburban legislator able to compare costs and benefits ought to be able to figure out that the Regional Transportation Authority’s proposal is cock-eyed.

Reading 200 page amendments is not on my “gee, I just can’t wait to do” list, but this graphic shows what the Chicago Tribune says the RTA says State Rep. Julie Hamos’ House Bill 572 will do.

Let me tell you what I see.

The collar counties pay 28% because of a doubling of their RTA sales tax rate.

I costed it out for McHenry County and it comes to about $200 a year for every family.

No reason to think it would be less anywhere else.

Metra will get 18%; PACE another 6%.

28% versus 24%.

Hmmm.

Not a very good deal.

But, of course, it is much worse, because I have ignored suburban Cook County’s costs in the 28% figure, but included most of its residents’ benefits in the 24%.

Yes, I know about the CTA’s running to Oak Park and Skokie.

But that shouldn’t result in much more than 2-3 suburban votes, just like it did in 1974 when the RTA was rammed down our throats.

I’m trying to remember any Republican state representative besides Will County’s House Speaker Bob Blair (defeated the next fall) who was unwise enough to vote for the RTA. The northeastern Lake County GOP state senator who sponsored the RTA bill also got defeated by a Democrat.

I don’t know how to allocate the paratransit share of 23%. It certainly does show that a different system is needed, however. RTA killed taxi service all over the suburbs. It’s probably time to hire taxis to take most people who can use them where they want to go.

This bill sticks it to the suburbs.

That much is clear.


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