Are Suburbanites Smarter That Chicagoans?

That was the question that came to mind when I read Friday’s Elgin Courier News.

The headline of Steve Lord’s story was

Empty
seats
at
Metra
hearing

To discuss fare hikes:
Meeting fails to draw
interest of commuters

Is it possible that suburbanites know what a great deal they are getting on their train commutes?

Might they be able to figure out that the price of diesel oil has increased a lot and fare increases are justified?

The suggestion is 5-10% in 2008 and 10% a year the next two years.

Let’s see, how much has the cost of gasoline increased in the last year?

Think the people who didn’t show up have any friends who have to get to and from work by car and have heard them complain about how much the cost of their commutes have gone up in the last year?

What to bet they don’t know that Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross wants to take the sales tax that vehicle commuters pay when they purchase motor fuel and use it to subsidize those privileged to be able to take the train to and from work.

Someone will point out this is just a secret RTA gas tax that even takes money out of the pockets of Downstaters. That’s because it comes right off the top of the state’s General Fund.

Downstaters who vote for such a plan can expect someone like me to point out how much their constituents are paying to subsidize the Chicago Transit Authority.

Only that someone could be running against them.


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