Latest news with #RegionalTransportationAuthority
CBS News
5 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Chicago aldermen calling for CTA to enforce smoking ban
Chicago aldermen are calling on the CTA to enforce the smoking ban, a problem widely reported on Chicago's mass transit system. According to a recent survey from the Regional Transportation Authority, four out of five riders who use CTA, Metra, or Pace say they've experienced cigarette and weed smoking or drinking on Chicago buses and trains, on platforms, and in stations. You can be ticketed with a fine for smoking on CTA, Metra, and Pace. The CTA said 6,300 people were hit with smoking citations in 2023. That same year, a CBS News Chicago analysis found more than 90% of smoking tickets are never paid. Some Chicago aldermen are holding a 9 a.m. press conference to call out the CTA and ask for stronger enforcement of its smoking rules. The city council members point out that smoking cigarettes or weed doesn't just smell bad, it's a health risk for people with asthma and school kids who take the bus or train.
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Gurnee trustees approved raising the village's home rule sales tax by 0.5 percent
Gurnee will no longer have a grocery tax, starting Jan. 1, but the Village voted to increase its home rule sales tax by 0.5% at its June 16 Village Board meeting. The increased sales tax was unanimously approved by Gurnee's Village Board. 'This is an idea that is exceptional,' said Trustee Kevin Woodside. 'The fact that the State of Illinois has eliminated the 1% grocery tax has put most home rule communities in a position to reinstate that tax, but we are positioned, very smartly, I think, to shift half a percent of our sales tax to supplant that, and develop a surplus.' After passing House Bill 3144, Illinois is eliminating its 1% grocery tax, but is allowing municipalities to make up that funding by either implementing their own grocery tax or increasing other taxes. Most groceries are currently taxed at 1.75%, with 1% being returned to municipalities and 0.75% going to the Regional Transportation Authority. The new law covers a majority of food items that can be purchased in a grocery store, but does not include alcohol, candy, soft drinks and foods consisting of, or infused with, adult-use cannabis. Those items will continue to be taxed when purchased throughout Illinois. The state's repeal of the grocery tax goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and municipalities throughout Illinois had until October 1 to approve a tax that would replace it, if they wanted the tax to be in effect when the state tax is repealed. 'The grocery tax, for us, is between $2 (million) and $2.5 million,' said Patrick Muetz, Gurnee's Village Administrator, about how much revenue the tax brings into the Village each year. While Gurnee could have implemented its own grocery tax within the Village, it instead opted for an increase in Gurnee's home rule sales tax. Muetz said that the Village will receive its final grocery tax payment in March 2026 and will start receiving revenue from its increased sales tax in April. 'There would be no gap in funding,' Muetz said. Gurnee's Finance Director Brian Gosnell gave a presentation at the Village's May 19 board meeting, recommending that Gurnee opt for the 0.5% increase in sales tax, rather than implementing another tax on groceries, as it would alleviate the tax burden on residents. Muetz said that the primary shoppers at Gurnee's grocery stores are Gurnee residents, more than 'any other retailer.' He also added that 55% of the Village's residents who shop at Gurnee's grocery stores are over the age of 52. 'The only option that we have, from our local taxing authority, to generate a large enough base to replace that revenue would be the home rule sales tax,' Muetz said. 'It fills that gap left by the grocery tax, as well as generates funding needed for capital infrastructure, mainly water and sewer main replacement.' According to Gosnell, the Village was looking for options that would recoup the revenue lost from the repeal of the grocery tax, and would also cover a $3 million upgrade to Gurnee's water infrastructure, which means that Gurnee was looking to bring in approximately $5.5 million in additional revenue each year, after the repeal of the grocery tax. 'We need to invest more than what we're investing today,' Muetz said about Gurnee's water and sewer main system. 'We've fallen behind on that, and this shifts that burden to visitors of our community.' According to Muetz, Gurnee residents who do all of their shopping within the village will now be saving approximately $85 per year by the Village switching to increasing its home rule sales tax, rather than implementing a new grocery tax. 'The burden will be shifted to our visitors in a way that won't be felt,' Woodside said. 'It uniquely puts us in a position to give a break to our own residents on food.'
Chicago Tribune
04-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Column: Record budget continues Democrats' tax-and-spend spree
If Illinois smokers needed a reason to quit the evils of tobacco, the legislature's hike in the state's tax on cigarettes has been handed to them. Or it gives them a chance to visit Kentucky and Indiana to stock up on their smoking supplies. The tax increase on anything with tobacco — cigarettes, cigars, vaping devices, snuff, chewing tobacco — is part of the rushed budget the Democratic-controlled legislature adopted last week. The jump in the tobacco tax from 36% to 45% for cigarettes, and 15% for vaping products, takes effect July 1, when the state's fiscal year begins. Taxing the shrinking number of state smokers — revenue officials expect to raise $50 million — is one easy way to fund the largest budget in Illinois history. Current state tax on a pack of smokes is $1.98, and the current cost averages $7.56 per pack, according to the 'Sales Tax Handbook.' Another taxing target is gambling now that most of the Land of Lincoln is replete with gaming devices and casinos. To that end, the budget bill creates a tax of 25 cents per wager for a sports betting licensee's first 20,000 wagers accepted, and 50 cents per wager above that. That is expected to generate $36 million in the new fiscal year. There are other increased taxes, $1 billion worth, in the $55.2 billion spending plan, which totals 3,000 pages. Wonder how many Lake County lawmakers actually read this document that received little public review and was hastily adopted in the last 48 hours of the session? But lawmakers did read enough of the document to increase their salaries, sending their pay to nearly $100,000 a year for what is supposed to be a part-time job. State legislators who happen to be lawyers also got an added perk thanks to the Illinois Supreme Court: They can collect credits for continuing education classes just by attending legislative events. Yet, Illinois property owners again did not receive property tax relief, while lawmakers kicked the can down the road when it came to funding regional mass transit, while including $8.2 billion in new spending on infrastructure projects. Regional Transportation Authority officials claim they need a $770 million funding injection or cuts are coming at the CTA, Metra and Pace. Legislators also failed a push for more renewable energy sources, like solar and wind. In the power department, Illinoisans served by ComEd will see a nearly 11% increase on their utility bills come July 1. Democrats seem overjoyed with the allegedly balanced budget bill, which is nearly 4% more than the current year's. However, it appears to be stuffed with spending that the state can't afford. One estimate is that since Gov. JB Pritzker took office in 2019, Democrats have jacked up state spending by $15 billion. That totals about $1,170 more per resident every year. Something to remember next April 15. Three Lake County Democratic state senators — Julie Morrison of Lake Forest, Mary Edley Allen of Libertyville and Adriane Johnson of Buffalo Grove — voted for the budget bills. Their Democratic counterparts in the Illinois House — Rita Mayfield of Gurnee, Laura Faver Dias of Grayslake, Bob Morgan of Deerfield, Daniel Didech of Buffalo Grove and Nabella Syed of Palatine — also were all in on the whopping budget bill. Legislative Republicans voted against the measure. Their excuse for having to vote in favor of the budget, they maintain, is because of President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. Pritzker, too, blamed the president, pointing to Trump's tariff policies. 'In a year where limited revenue and shifting federal support presented real challenges, we passed a budget that aligns with our core values and the needs of Illinois families,' Morrison commented in a statement after her vote. 'At a time when chaos from the federal administration is causing uncertainty and fear within our communities, Illinois presented a compassionate budget that reflects our priorities and values, including supporting the working middle class and those seeking quality education,' Edley Allen said in a statement, echoing other county lawmakers' stances. Didn't hear of any sightings of President Trump or his minions in Springfield last week, twisting arms to vote for the bloated state budget. Lawmakers can try to blame an obvious scapegoat. They are accountable only to themselves for their votes for a record Illinois budget.
CBS News
04-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Mayor Johnson says there have been "conversations" around tax on wealthy for Chicago transit funding
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said Tuesday that he is hopeful lawmakers in Springfield will reach a transit deal before the Chicago Transit Authority hits a fiscal cliff. When asked about how to raise revenue, Mayor Johnson suggested a tax on the wealthy. "There's been some conversations about a millionaires' tax and other forms of progressive taxation that challenges the ultra-rich to pay their fair share," Johnson said. "I think that it's important that, you know, we come up with solutions that are sustainable, and that they don't overwhelm, you know, the pocketbooks of working people." This past weekend just before a crucial Saturday night deadline, Illinois state lawmakers passed a $55.2 billion state budget plan for the next federal year. But while the Illinois Senate advanced a measure to overhaul and provide hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for the Chicago area's mass transit system, the Illinois House didn't take it up before adjourning its spring session. Transit officials have said the Regional Transportation Authority system is facing a $771 million budget deficit in 2026, and if state lawmakers don't come up with that funding by this summer, the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace must start laying out plans for service cuts of up to 40% for next year. To fund transit, Democratic lawmakers in Springfield called for a $1.50 tax on deliveries like Amazon, Grubhub, and Uber Eats, a 10% tax on rideshare trips, and add a new tax to charge electric vehicles. A surcharge on tolls has also been suggested. Mayor Johnson did not comment on the other revenue ideas floated by Illinois lawmakers during eth Spring Session. While the Chicago area's mass transit systems are funded through the end of the year, and there will likely be a fall veto session that could provide another shot at an 11th-hour rescue, transportation officials said without funding guarantees for 2026 in place by this summer, they'll have to start laying out the specific cuts next week to prepare for any potential service reductions next year. The CTA has said without the minimum funding it is seeking from the state, it would be forced to eliminate some or all service on at least four of its eight rail lines, close or dramatically reduce service at more than 50 rail stations, and eliminate 74 of 127 bus routes starting next year. The CTA has not yet said which specific 'L' and bus lines and 'L' stops would be affected. Meanwhile, Metra has said it would have to eliminate all early morning and late evening trains, reduce weekday train service to one train per hour on each route, and cut weekend train service to one train every two hours on each route. Pace would be forced to eliminate all weekend service and all weekday service after 8 p.m. contributed to this report.
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois tolls could go up by 50 cents in Villivalam's transit proposal
CHICAGO — State lawmakers met Thursday to discuss how to avoid a large public transit budget shortfall and the plan that was discussed could mean toll increases and public charging station fees for electric vehicles. Facing a $770 million budgetary gap in 2026 due to the expiration of Federal COVID-19 grant funding, the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) has warned riders could see significant service cuts soon, if the shortfall is not addressed. Illinois lawmakers debate plan to overcome $770 million CTA budget shortfall On Thursday, State Sen. Ram Villivalam presented a plan to the Senate Transportation Committee that he says could help prevent Chicago-area transit agencies from going over the edge. The proposed legislation would create the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, which would shift oversight of the CTA, Metra and Pace from the Regional Transit Authority to a new 20-member board. IDOT: Drivers taking Kennedy Expressway from downtown to O'Hare can use express lanes again starting Saturday The plan would cover the pending fiscal cliff, but agencies say even more money is needed to make long-term changes to transit systems. The bill, if passed, would also create a unified fare system that would provide unarmed staff for customer service assistance at stations and on trains, and develop a law enforcement task force with a regional safety strategy in mind. The revenue proposals in Villivalam's plan would include toll increases up to 50 cents, a public electric vehicle charging fee of 6 cents per kilowatt hour, and the extension of the Real Estate Transfer Tax and rideshare fee to suburban Cook County and the collar counties. Negotiations on Villivalam's plan are ongoing with some changes possible. State lawmakers now have until Saturday at midnight to pass a transit budget plan, otherwise, service cuts could begin to take place. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
