Your Urine Soaked Bus Runs on My Money

Daley says tax hike for transit essential

State must act fast to stave off cuts, higher fares, he says. (Story on the jump)

"I think the General Assembly has to understand -- what is the alternative?" Daley said of proposed legislation that would raise the sales tax in Cook County (AGAIN!) and the collar counties to bail out the region's public-transit system (AGAIN!). "There is no alternative in regards to mass transportation." (How about fair usage fees? You know, Fares?)

Daley said there would be no political repercussions if a House bill called for the 0.25 percent increase, along with a raise in the city's real estate transfer tax, to generate more money for the CTA, Pace and Metra and also provide funding for suburban road-improvement projects.

The mayor was asked what his message would be to Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who has vowed to veto the legislation because of the tax-increase provision. (Thank you, and thank you for that haircut! I know you didn't spend $400 bucks of my money on that.)
"The deal is there, and no one is going to blame anyone for increasing the sales tax," he said. "We are not going to blame the governor. We are not going to blame the General Assembly. ... This is good for the metropolitan area. It is good for the collar counties, the suburban area. It's good for the city. It's good for employers and employees."

Well, I'm going to blame you and that goofy Council you run. I can't believe that you can't figure out how to run a couple busses and broken down rail lines. Maybe if they hadn't blown up half the stations to make them purtier, you wouldn't have a shortfall of 400 million bucks? Or perhaps offered such sweet pensions for the bus drivers? And that's before talking about the administrators who do nothing but suck off the dole and can't balance a checkbook. They make something called Quickbooks - it's about 200 bucks and even prints checks. Might want to pick that up?

So now I'm going to pay even more to bail out the CTA, PACE and METRA, even though I hardly use it? That seems fair. I know I don't use the High School either, and it's for the better good of the neighborhood and all - but I'm already taxed more than just about any other urban dweller. I can see how educating people helps. I can't see why I have to pay (more, I know I already pay for it) increased real estate fees and MORE sales tax to pay for the bus and rail lines. Transit gets people to their jobs. If you're working, and use the bus, you should PAY for the bus. Not me.

I also don't work for the city, or the state of federal governments - which makes me an anomaly in the City, since apparently everyone else here does. Or is retired. Or a child. Basically since I'm the only one generating any income for the dole, they're taking more of MY money to pay for everyone else's bus ride? Yeah, that's about the size of it.


Oh, and I'm also personally paying for Todd Stroger's goddamned pension.

"Haha! Im razin yr taxz and eatin yr fud! Assh*ll!"


As a consumer, I will go out of my way to shop out of the County. I already do. When I can, I buy out-of-state. Someday, I will have an opportunity to move away - and I may have a choice of staying in Cook County, or going somewhere else - why, why would I stay here?