Fifty years ago, suburban legislators (Republican and Democrat) fought the creation of the Regional Transportation Authority.
Supporters were so confident of its popularity that they allowed a referendum.
My father owned two offset presses.
Running 24 hours a day, we turned 0ut 180,000 pamphlets, which were distributed throughout the six-county area.
We were such a threat that our phones were tapped.
We had the Crystal Lake Police driving past the back door of our Crystal Lake Plaza office (where GOP headquarters is now located) every hour during the night.
We lost the election by less than 12,000 votes.
After the election, word got back from the proponents’ pollster, Roger Stanley, that we were picking up one percentage point a day.
The night of the election I was listening to various radio stations for results.
About eleven o’clock a reporter was talking to Mayor Daley.
“It looks like your referendum is losing, Mr. Mayor,” the reporter said.
“I don;t know about that. We haven’t stopped casting the ballots.”
Yes, he said, “casting,”not “counting.”
We were not allowed a recount by the newly-formed Illinois State Board of Elections because recounts in close referendums were not allowed by law.
I sponsored the bill to make that possible.
One of the promises made by the RTA Citizens Committee for Better Transpiration was “Public transportation when and where you need it throughout the region.”
What nonsense that was.
Until almost fifty years later when McHenry County rolled out McRide.
It provided dial-a-ride service throughout McHenry County.
Now Will County is implementing a similar service.
Government rarely moves quickly, but FIFTY YEARS to deliver on a campaign promise?
