Recent transit developments

CTA has been in the news a lot this week. As I told news organizations today, we all owe a debt of thanks to Frank Kruesi for his years of service to CTA. He was a key part of securing federal funds for the Pink Line, the Brown Line, and all of our capital needs; ridership increased under his leadership; and no one has worked harder to highlight the funding challenges caused by the state's 1983 transit law.

I am also delighted that Mayor Daley has asked Ron Huberman to be CTA President. Ron is a talented leader and a skilled manager, and there is no greater sign of the Mayor's commitment to transit customers and to our pressing funding issues in Springfield.

Those challenges were highlighted this week at a legislative hearing on the Illinois Auditor General's report, which is both a blueprint for improvements and a third-party validation of transit's dire financial condition. A press release about CTA's testimony is here.

I also want to highlight two very thoughtful additions to the online transit debate -- Sick Transit Chicago and SaveChicagolandTransit.com. SaveChicagolandTransit deserves extra credit for staying for the entire 7-hour legislative hearing earlier this week. I welcome their interest, and I encourage all of you to engage in their discussions.