Budget math

NOTE: Many CTA customers posted comments on the Tribune website. The Trib shut down the comments, but I wanted to respond to several, including #207: "The CTA has a $1 billion budget but a $55 million shortfall means service gets cut 50%! Where does the $890 million every year apparently not spent on service go?"

The $55M deficit must be saved in 6 months from a 6-month public operating subsidy of $220 million, and the cuts exclude security costs and paratransit for the disabled, which is required under federal law Moreover, by state law, roughly half of the cost of every transit trip must come from fares, the other half comes from a sales tax formula established in 1983. When we cut $2 in service, we save $2 in costs but lose $1 in revenue. Btw, total service hour reductions are approximately 36%.