State lawmakers will unfold a proposal to fold Metra, Pace and the Chicago Transit Authority into a mega agency Monday.
The three agencies face an estimated $730 million fiscal cliff in 2026.
The legislation comes after leaders on the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning approved and sent a hefty report to Springfield on reforms to public transit last fall.
State lawmakers are set to consider whether to merge Metra, Pace and the CTA.
Daily Herald File Photo
Officials recommended merging Metra, Pace and the CTA into one mega-agency, or giving more authority to the Regional Transportation Authority over budgeting, fares, planning and capital projects.
CMAP also proposed creating a new transit revenue stream of up to $1.5 billion annually through options including: raising the gas tax or RTA sales tax; a tax on services; and using toll revenues for transit. This would offset a farebox free fall during COVID-19, but all are considered a heavy lift.
Later this morning, Democratic state Sen. Ram Villivalam and state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado are expected to unveil details of a mass transit bill along with Chicago Commercial Club leaders.
Both Chicago lawmakers chair transportation committees in their respective chambers.
One question for suburban lawmakers will be how their constituents would be represented on the mega agency.
The proposal appears to allow for 18 board members with three chosen by the governor, five by the Chicago mayor, five by the Cook County Board president, five by the chief executives of DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.
That structure is not sitting well with a number of suburban stakeholders who told the Daily Herald they are concerned about a consolidation of power by Chicago and Cook County on the board that would minimize representation from the collar counties.