Lauzen's Take a Bus or Train to the State Constitutional Convention

I was away from computers for a few days and unable to moderate comments from the nameless. My apoligies to readers and Sarah Lauzen for my absense.

Here's my Senator at his best on State issues. Off the top of my head, I don't agree with the recall --when the people speak, we're stuck with their voice except in extreme cases-- but this is the thoughtfull stuff peppered with facts that makes Lauzen the only choice for anyone voting in the GOP primary.

Take a Bus or Train to the State Constitutional Convention
by Senator Chris Lauzen

An effective mass transportation system is as important to a region's economic and environmental welfare as a healthy blood circulation system is to a human body.

Lower cost transportation, less pollution, more predictable travel times, equal access to opportunity, and civic pride are just some of the benefits of a well-run and properly maintained mass transit system. The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) consists of Metra, Pace, and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), and is a public asset that should be nurtured and managed respectfully.

Many newspapers editorialized several days ago that area riders and the broader constituency should view the current situation instead with cynicism, disgust, and be appalled by yet another failure of leadership in Chicago and Springfield. They are absolutely right.

Once again because of the privilege you have granted to me to serve you, I used the opportunity to participate in the current debate by asking three questions of the respected Chairman of the RTA, Jim Reilly, during the Senate Executive Committee one week ago today.

Like you, I was curious to know from where $27 Million could miraculously appear for Governor Blagojevich to bail out the transit "Doomsday", especially when so many current commitments to schools, local communities, and medical providers have been left unfulfilled. You may recall that the RTA Board of Directors would not accept a loan from the state government; they wanted a grant that did not have to be paid back. Well, the answer was that the money was generated from the "B-Bond" Authorization Fund which basically means that Blagojevich is borrowing transportation funds to postpone the current crisis until the end of the year. That means that you and I will have to pay all that money back over the next 15-25 years. With interest expense, that largesse should cost state taxpayers approximately two to three times as much in the end.

When I review the management report and various audits of especially the CTA, the conclusion is obvious that spending on payroll fringe benefits like pension and retirement hospitalization insurance are exploding. I asked the Chairman, "How many years do employees have to work in order to receive lifetime hospitalization benefits when they retire under the current contract?" In the private sector, such a benefit is rare and in the typical public sector the answer ranges usually from 20 to 30 years. The shocking answer for the CTA was 3 years!

Finally, I confirmed in a third question that annual fare increases have ranged between 1.2% and 2.1% on bus and train routes during a period when gas prices have risen 173%.

It is obvious to most of the people I serve that borrowing to bail out an extremely valuable regional transportation system will not solve gluttonous fringe benefit concessions and inadequate fare adjustments. I would never vote to tax the people who trust me to protect their interests to compensate for this type of loose management.

But, this dilemma and a whole series of problems that have been created by the concentration of absolute political power into the hands of too few Downtown Chicago Democrats empowered by their majority caucuses in both the Senate and House is truly staggering. A capital spending program to build roads, bridges, and schools without massively expanding casino gambling, true education reform, blatant patronage hiring in sensitive and important administrative positions, former governors going to jail, and many others are symptoms of a system and structure in Illinois that is broken beyond repair with our current tools.

I am coming to the conclusion that we need a state Constitutional Convention where a recall provision for irresponsible politicians is put in place. The legislative redistricting process should be done without political gerrymandering in a system similar to Iowa and several other states. Spending caps need to be put in place to protect taxpayers. And, property tax rates and assessments must be frozen to protect all homeowners who are being taxed-and-spent out of this state, similar to my currently proposed Property Tax Freeze legislation, SJRCA13 (from "Proposition 13" in California).

If you would like to share your thoughts with me on this subject that will be debated in Spring 2008, please call 630-264-2334 or write to admin@lauzen.com. Thank you for your guidance.