[IL-Talk] FW: CTA 2021 Budget - Virtual Public Hearing on Nov. 12, 2020 at 6 p.m.

Thu Oct 22 21:22:10 UTC 2020

I would especially encourage people to show up for this. Definitely you
want to show up.

Robert Hansen
hansen.robert70@ gmail.com

On Thu, Oct 22, 2020, 3:38 PM Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
wrote:

> FYI.
>
>
>
>
>
> Denise R. Avant, Esq.
>
> President,
>
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
>
> 773-991-8050
>
> Live the life you want.
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>
>
> For more information about NFBI,
>
> Go to www.nfbofillinois.org
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>
> From: Access <access at transitchicago.com>
> Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2020 3:26 PM
> Subject: Re: CTA 2021 Budget - Virtual Public Hearing on Nov. 12, 2020 at 6
> p.m.
>
>
>
> Hello Everyone:
>
>
>
> Please see the below Press Release regarding CTA's Proposed 2021 Budget
> which includes information related to a public virtual meeting at 6:00 p.m.
> on November 12, 2020. Feel free to forward as desired.
>
>
>
> Thank you.
>
> __________________________________________
>
>
>
> For Immediate Release
>
>
> October 22, 2020
>
>
>
>
>
> Proposed 2021 CTA Budget Relies On New Federal Funding to Support Service
>
> Additional financial support from Congress critical to maintaining the CTA
> service
>
> that's carried Chicago through the pandemic
>
>
>
> The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) today proposed a $1.64 billion
> operating
> budget that highlights the need for new federal funding to support public
> transportation across the United States. Though CTA will enter 2021 with no
> planned changes to service or fares, the agency depends on continued
> support
> at the federal level to achieve that goal.
>
>
>
> For 2021, the CTA is facing an operating budget deficit of approximately
> $375 million-a shortfall caused solely by the impacts of the COVID-19
> pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic in March, the CTA-like transit
> agencies across the country-has seen an unprecedented loss of ridership and
> revenue. Further, state sales tax funding that supports transit is well
> below anticipated levels. The American Public Transportation Association
> (APTA) projects that if Congress or the Administration do not provide
> additional emergency federal transit funding, six in 10 public transit
> agencies will have to consider service cuts or other cost-cutting
> measures.
>
>
>
> "Over the last seven months, the CTA has provided an essential service to
> those who needed it the most: health care workers, emergency responders,
> grocery and manufacturing workers, and those needing to make essential
> trips," said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. "But in order to ensure we
> can continue to provide this critical service, we absolutely must receive
> additional funding from Congress."
>
>
>
> Congress has already supported public transit with a funding package
> earlier
> this year-funding that helped transit agencies across the country,
> including
> the CTA, to maintain service through 2020 and into early 2021. But further
> federal funding is needed to help transit agencies make up for continuing,
> unprecedented financial losses and lower-than-normal ridership.
>
>
>
> Despite the challenges to the operating budget, which covers day-to-day
> service, the CTA continues to pursue much-needed capital investment. The
> proposed budget also includes a five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
> of $3.4 billion, which is necessary to continue investing in modernization
> and capital improvement projects that will provide safer, more reliable
> service for customers, as well as an improved transit experience through
> the
> continued expansion of public art, removal of slow zones, upgrades to
> popular transit tools such as Ventra.
>
>
>
> "Investment in transit infrastructure has always been an investment in a
> strong future for the city," Carter said. "Further, continued investment in
> transit is directly tied to our city's economic recovery, a way to promote
> jobs and opportunities at a time when the city needs them most."
>
>
>
> The CIP is supported by funding from Restore Illinois, the 2019 state
> capital program that was the first in more than a decade. More than half of
> the capital funding will go toward previously announced major projects,
> including:
>
>
>
> *       Upgrade of the Cottage Grove Green Line station ($60M)
> *       Blue Line O'Hare Branch power improvements ($50M)
> *       Advancement of the Red Line Extension project ($327.8M)
> *       Phase 1 station improvements under the All Stations Accessibility
> Plan (ASAP ($78M)
>
>
>
> APTA estimates that with each dollar invested in transit it in turn creates
> $4 of economic activity. "The devastating effects of the dual health and
> economic crisis only further highlight how much CTA's long-term capital
> projects are urgently needed, and the importance of continuing to plan and
> identify funding for initiatives like ASAP and the Red Line Extension
> project," Carter added.
>
>
>
> Other capital projects to continue or begin in 2021 include:
>
>
>
>
>
> Testing of the 10 new 7000-Series rail cars
>
> *       Quarter-life overhaul work on 5000-Series rail cars
> *       Roll-out of newest all-electric buses
> *       Start of station and track structure construction as part of RPM
> Phase One
>
>
>
> A virtual public hearing will be held on November 12, 2020, at 6 p.m.
> Because of the pandemic and the Governor's Executive Order prohibiting
> large
> public gatherings, the public hearing will proceed only virtually.
>
>
>
> A link to view the hearing will be available at transitchicago.com/finance
> .
> Members of the public who wish to speak at the virtual public hearing are
> encouraged to submit their request prior to the hearing. Options for
> providing comment at the virtual hearing or for submission to the Chicago
> Transit Board on the proposed 2021-2025 Capital Program of Projects, 2021
> Operating Budget and Program, and the Financial Plan for 2022 and 2023 are
> detailed below:
>
>
>
> WRITTEN STATEMENTS: Written statements will be taken into consideration
> prior to the adoption of the proposed 2021-2025 Capital Program of
> Projects,
> 2021 Operating Budget and Program, and Financial Plan for 2022 and 2023.
> Written comments for the Chicago Transit Board's review and consideration
> must be submitted by 5 p.m., Monday, November 16, 2020. Written comments
> may
> be submitted in any of the following ways:
>
>
>
> *       Via US Mail, CTA Board Office, 567 W. Lake Street, 2nd Floor,
> Chicago, IL 60661
> *       Via drop off at CTA Headquarters, 567 W. Lake Street, 1st floor
> mailroom
> *       Via fax at 312-681-5035
> *       Via email at  <mailto:GLonghini1 at transitchicago.com>
> GLonghini1 at transitchicago.com
>
>
>
> ORAL STATEMENTS: Members of the public who wish to speak at the virtual
> public hearing are encouraged to register prior to the hearing, by
> completing and submitting a Request to Speak form online at
> transitchicago.com/finance. Individuals registered online by 6 p.m. on
> November 11, 2020, the day before the hearing, will be called by the CTA,
> at
> the telephone number provided, during the November 12, 2020 hearing, to be
> connected to the virtual public hearing proceedings.
>
> DIAL IN AT THE TIME OF THE HEARING: Members of the public may also dial-in,
> while the hearing is in progress, to request to speak, by calling
> 312-681-3091.Individuals who pre-register to speak will be taken up first
> at
> the virtual public hearing. Individuals who call while the hearing is in
> progress will then speak in the order that they call in.
>
>
>
> Copies of the proposed 2021-2025 Capital Program of Projects, 2021
> Operating
> Budget and Program and the Financial Plan are also available for review in
> standard size print and large print at the Archer Heights Branch Library,
> 5055 South Archer Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60632; Austin Branch Library,
> 5615 West Race Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60644; Harold Washington Public
> Library, 400 South State Street, 5th floor, Chicago, Illinois 60605;
> Austin-Irving Branch, Chicago Public Library, 6100 West Irving Park Road,
> Chicago, Illinois 60634; Avalon Branch Library, 8148 South Stony Island
> Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60617; West Town Branch Library, 1625 West
> Chicago
> Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60622; Woodson Regional Public Library, 9525
> South
> Halsted Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60628; Evanston Public Library, 1703
> Orrington Avenue, Evanston, Illinois, 60201; Evergreen Park Public Library,
> 9400 South Troy, Evergreen Park, Illinois, 60805; Oak Park Public Library,
> 834 Lake Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60301; and the Skokie Public Library,
> 5215 West Oakton, Skokie, Illinois, 60077.
>
> At the virtual public hearing the CTA will afford an opportunity for
> interested persons or agencies to be heard with respect to social,
> economic,
> environmental and other related aspects of the proposed 2021-2025 Capital
> Program of Projects, 2021 Operating Budget and Program, and the Financial
> Plan for 2022 and 2023.
>
> At the virtual public hearing, an American Sign Language interpreter and a
> Spanish interpreter will be provided. Individuals with disabilities who
> require other accommodations to review the budget or to provide feedback
> should contact Amy J. Serpe, Manager, ADA Compliance Programs, at
> <mailto:aserpe at transitchicago.com> aserpe at transitchicago.com or
> 312-350-2301
> or Relay.
>
> A copy of the proposed budget is also posted on the CTA's web site at
> www.transitchicago.com <http://www.transitchicago.com/> .
>
>
>
>
>
> THIS IS A READ-ONLY DOCUMENT.
>
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