Bill Daley Wants To Eliminate RTA
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Democratic candidate for governor Bill Daley said the Regional Transportation Authority – which oversees the finances of CTA, Pace and Metra – has reached the end of the line, and should be eliminated.
Calling the agency a "bureaucratic Frankenstein," Daley said it costs taxpayers $33 million a year for essentially nothing, as it provides no services on its own.
"Not a single ride; what it does do is hand out millions of dollars in contracts to politically-connected people, and serve as an employment agency for politicians," he said.
Daley Pushes For Eliminating RTA
WBBM Newsradio's John Cody reports Daley also slammed the RTA for failing to come up with a universal fare card for CTA, Pace and Metra.
He wants all of RTA's functions – except bonding and accounting – farmed out to different state or local bodies, and the three transit agencies themselves.
Daley also recommended the entire Metra board should be replaced, in the wake of patronage hiring allegations by former CEO Alex Clifford – and replaced with a board consisting of six members appointed by the six counties served by the agency, and five others appointed by the governor.
