Free ride on CTA & Metra for seniors proposal (Springfield: sales, home)

[outsider1]

If you've listened to Madigan and the good governer recently, it sure feels like they're gonna push it through Springfield. If they in fact do, Illinois will become the first state to give seniors a free access to all commuter services. But since no supernatural powers agreed to cover the cost, there will be a 0.25% sales tax hike in Cook county. Which means that in some places you'll be paying up to 9% - 9.25% "addition" to the price of a merchandise. By the way, have you heard that there's no sales tax in the state of Oregon? And those of you who've used public transportation in Portland probably won't speak too highly of CTA either.
Anyway, what do you think?

[Avengerfire]

I dont think its is a bad thing or something that will make a huge dent in the budgets. However, why Helmet Hair brought it to the table at this stage is the question.

I say Buck Flagojevich.

BTW- comparing an old (in a much larger populated area that was built and designed a 100 years ago...) underfunded and neglected system to a "new" well funded system (with newer equipment,less capitol construction costs,and constructed fairly recently,etc...) and in a lesser populated area is unfair. Might as well compare Apples and Oranges.

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by outsider1

If you've listened to Madigan and the good governer recently, it sure feels like they're gonna push it through Springfield. If they in fact do, Illinois will become the first state to give seniors a free access to all commuter services. But since no supernatural powers agreed to cover the cost, there will be a 0.25% sales tax hike in Cook county. Which means that in some places you'll be paying up to 9% - 9.25% "addition" to the price of a merchandise. By the way, have you heard that there's no sales tax in the state of Oregon? And those of you who've used public transportation in Portland probably won't speak too highly of CTA either.
Anyway, what do you think?

I'm from tennessee so I'm used to paying 9.25-9.75% sales tax on everything I touched. EVERYTHING from a gallon of milk to a hot Mercedes. So I still get really excited when my groceries have nothing but 2% tax on them.

Blago screwed up when he thought this brilliant idea up at the last minute. What's the point of having free rides for seniors when 81 of the routes they could have taken will be gone just because he's a stubborn jerk that wants to "save the day" for one group when he's screwing the rest of us?

[outsider1]

Seriously??!! 9%+ on food??!!.... and I used to be so jealous of the cheeseheads everytime I went to the grocery stores in Kenosha

I've never thought that such a high food tax existed anywhere in the country!... Hmmm, that gets me thinking - are things in FL really bad? Or did the tropical heat cook the brains of all those "floridiots" who keep raving about low property taxes in TN?

Yeah, those routes that they're going to cut.... Interestingly enough many of those rides are the most convenient and sometimes the only public transit options in the area.
But those $2 cross-town "tour bus" routes are staying And it's still $2 on a slow train from Howard to 95th. So some of those whose daily commute is from Wilson to Belmont figure that $4/day = savings and a daily walk/bike ride = staying fit for life.

Well, in a good fairy-tale scenario Roddy & the gang(pun somewhat intended, I suppose) would be pulled out of their cozy seats, dropped in the middle of
Tokyo's Shinjuku station and forced to ride the trains until they're completely elighten by this experience. And then they'll gain some more knowledge aboard Kyoto's buses... But a home to the Cubs knows all too well that there are no miralces in this world

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by outsider1

By the way, have you heard that there's no sales tax in the state of Oregon? And those of you who've used public transportation in Portland probably won't speak too highly of CTA either.
Anyway, what do you think?

Oregon may have no sales tax, but most everyone there pays 9% state income tax (Illinoisians pay 3%).

[scarletneon]

Originally Posted by sukwoo

Oregon may have no sales tax, but most everyone there pays 9% state income tax (Illinoisians pay 3%).

it evens out that way... Tennessee has NO income tax, but even the poorest of the poor are shelling out 9% sales tax on their groceries.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by supernerdgirl

it evens out that way... Tennessee has NO income tax, but even the poorest of the poor are shelling out 9% sales tax on their groceries.

Exactly. There's no such thing as a free lunch. Government services have to be paid for one way or another, be it income tax, sales tax, and/or property tax.

[j33]

A 9% grocery tax borders on immoral in my mind. I have no problems with taxes, but that punishes the poorest of the poor. Lets face it, everyone has to eat, as such, I have a problem with taxing food. I have no problem with property, income, luxury goods, etc being taxed, but food? Yeah, I have a problem with that.

[Sailaway50]

If the free ride for seniors means working people and students have to cough up more $$ on a daily basis to ride the CTA, I'm against it. The money for the sr's has to come from somewhere.

Enough already. Medicare is already one of the biggest rip offs known to mankind. And, again, working people now have to shell out for their share of health benefits, and in some cases pay 100% of dependent coverage....while seniors get medical care for free. Sadly, Medicare has lowered the public's opinion of doctor's, the paperwork is a monumental drain and the costs end up in the regular patient's bill.

Having taken the "sandwich generation" journey of walking a parent through long term illness, I can safely say....the gravy train that is Medicare is obscene. So, from my perspective, I smell a rat with the free ride for seniors.

Free bus rides? Maybe. If it were income or aset specific, like, say, a "scholarship", maybe.....but who would administer such a bloated program, anyway ($$$).

Sigh. Will this result in 10 cents more per ride, or $1.00? In the long run, we will be paying for senior transportation. Period.

[prairiestate]

What a staggering level of incompetence and obstructionism combined with galling, self serving, publicity grabbing. I would like to make a suggestion for what should happen to Blago, but I don't want the Illinois State Police knocking on my door.