Originally published on chicago.suntimes.com 12/19/19 | Image : Bill Ruminski / Sun-Times

There’s a better way to serve South Side and south suburban commuters who work in the city’s expanding downtown area, where most new jobs are being created. And as Sun-Times columnist Ed Zotti wrote recently, this better way would also shore up Metra’s declining ridership and spark development in neighborhoods and suburbs that need an economic boost.

The plan, first proposed by Cook County’s transportation department, is to lower fares and increase service on the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines, then integrate the line with the CTA and the suburban Pace bus system so that riders don’t pay a second full fare to transfer.

Metra fares within Chicago would fall to the same price as a CTA ride, a substantial savings for most riders. Metra fares from suburban stops would remain on a zoned system, but would be lowered overall. Additional Metra trains would be added to both lines, running more often.

Transit advocates, civic groups and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle are enthusiastic about a proposed three-year pilot program to work out the kinks. The county estimates a daily loss of 8,000 L riders and 23,000 CTA bus riders, with the steepest decline expected at 95th Street station, where ridership could fall by half.


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Originally published on chicago.suntimes.com 12/19/19 \| Image : Bill Ruminski / Sun-Times There’s a better way to serve South Side and south suburban commuters who work in the city’s expanding downtown area, where most new jobs are being created. And as Sun-Times columnist Ed Zotti wrote recently, this better way would also shore up Metra’s declining ridership and spark development in neighborhoods and suburbs that need an economic boost. The plan, first proposed by Cook County’s transportation department, is to lower fares and increase service on the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines, then integrate the line with the CTA and the suburban Pace bus system so that riders don’t pay a second full fare to transfer. Metra fares within Chicago would fall to the same price as a CTA ride, a substantial savings for most riders. Metra fares from suburban stops would remain on a zoned system, but would be lowered overall. Additional Metra trains would be added to both lines, running more often. Transit advocates, civic groups and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle are enthusiastic about a proposed three-year pilot program to work out the kinks. The county estimates a daily loss of 8,000 L riders and 23,000 CTA bus riders, with the steepest decline expected at 95th Street station, where ridership could fall by half. Read more



Originally published on chicago.suntimes.com 12/19/19 \| Image : Rich Hein / Sun-Times The Cook County Board of Commissioners Thursday proposed a 3% tax on cannabis retailers as they prepare for the drug to be legal statewide Jan. 1. The county’s proposed Cannabis Retailers’ Occupation Tax would be imposed on “all persons engaged in the business of selling cannabis,” but wouldn’t apply to medical cannabis dispensaries. That 3% would be in addition to the city’s 3% tax and state taxes of up to 25%. The 3% percent figure is the highest the county can tax, according to state law. The proposed tax, which was passed on to the Finance Committee, likely won’t be voted on until next month, but the county won’t be able to start collecting revenue from the drug until July. “We didn’t budget any money in this year’s budget for marijuana taxes because we knew that there would be some time at the state level to put together the rules and [regulations] and roll this out and wanted to give ourselves time as well to try to get this right,” Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. Read More




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