Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich says the Chicago Transit Authority should stop blaming senior citizens for its money trouble. Blagojevich says the CTA scared lawmakers into passing a sales tax increase in January and promised not to raise fares, cut jobs or reduce service. He also says he wants to take a look at why the agency is “wasting” taxpayer money.
The governor’s comments were in reaction to those made by Mayor Richard Daley, who said Blagojevich would be to blame if the CTA is forced to raise fares. Daley pointed to the free rides offered to senior citizens as a
reason the CTA made another $40 million in cuts this week.
Blagojevich today visited Arturo Velasquez West Side Technical Institute in Chicago to urge lawmakers to approve his changes to ethics legislation. Answering questions from reporters, the governor also commented on the long-stalled construction bill and the debate over education funding.