By Ashley Badgley 217-960-1331
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois’ dire financial straits are forcing lawmakers to throw the “free rides for all seniors program” under the bus.
Members of a House Committee on Thursday approved legislation eliminating the free rides on CTA, Pace and Metra, as well as downstate public transit systems. Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich started the program two years ago.
Rep. Suzie Bassi is sponsoring the proposal, which provides free public transit rides to low-income seniors and the disabled who qualify for the Illinois Department of Aging Circuit Breaker program.
Bassi said she doesn’t want to end the “free rides for all seniors program,” but the state’s $13 billion budget crisis is forcing lawmakers’ hands.
“Income-eligible seniors will ride for free and the rest of seniors will ride at half fare,” said the Palatine Republican. “It isn’t a question of should be. It has to be done or we will not have a mass transit system for the metropolitan areas of our state.”
Bassi said she spoke with Illinois transit officials, who said the state’s public mass transit system will go out of business by 2030 if the “free rides for all seniors program” doesn’t come to a stop.
In 2009, the state lost $37 million in revenue from the free senior ride services.
“The bottom line is there’s no free ride if you don’t have a bus,” she said.
State Rep. Julie Hamos, D-Evanston, voted for Bassi’s legislation, saying it was fair and brought the transit system back to where it was when Blagojevich implemented the program.
“This is an example of how we are being fiscally responsible,” Hamos said.
Downstate transit systems have also been affected by the free rides, according to State Rep. Thomas Holbrook, D-Belleville. Public transit systems in Champaign, Peoria and other central and southern communities are suffering financially because of the program.
Holbrook said there is no reason a wealthy senior citizen needs a free ride – especially when the state is practically broke.
“You don’t want to give millionaires, whether they are 65 or 35, free rides on a transit system and support it that way,” Holbrook said. “I’m not here to stop free rides for seniors. I’m ready to stop free rides for millionaires.”
Bassi’s proposal passed on a 19-4 vote.
State Rep. Cynthia Soto, D-Chicago, said that until all seniors are aware of the new rules, she will not be in favor of the legislation.
Soto also noted the nearly 10-page Circuit Breaker application deters many seniors from completing it.
“I think there are a lot of people out there who need this service, at least in my community,” Soto said. “If the bill passes, I understand, but I know in my community it’s needed. Until all seniors know about this, I’m going to vote no.”
Other committee members who voted “no” were Reps. Deb Mell, D-Chicago; Fred Crespo, D- Streamwood; and Susana Mendoza, D-Chicago.
For the first time in my life of paying, paying, paying, this state gave me something. Now, the fat cats in the State House voted to screw the “RICH SENIORS.” I say screw the Representatives who voted to screw us. I have googled for an hour and cannot find the name of this bill nor the Representatives who voted to screw the elderly.
I never felt the free rides bill should have been passed in the first place. I am a senior with a moderate income, and I do use public transporation on occasion. Since that bill passed a couple of years ago, I have enjoyed using the free service; however, I believe there are other people who need a break more than I. If something needs to be cut, I am in favor of the current legislation, as it seems to be fair to give it to circuit breaker eligible people.
I am a 65 yr old senior 4-time cancer survivor still working full-time because my husband was “down-sized” 3 years ago and hasn’t been able to find work since. I ride the bus to work; I have been told that my salary is just a couple thousand too much to make me qualify for low-inncome benefits. If I have to start paying even half-fare 5 days a week, I will not be able to continue to afford the bus. I will have to find a way to walk 2 miles each way to/from work, rain, sleet or snow be damned. this is a horrible time to penalize seniors in working-poor middle class!
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damn the state of illinois for taking away the free bus passes for my husband and i. if the rta would manage their money, lower their salaries then may we could have have kept the bus pass.