Illinois Lawmakers Debating Bills Affecting Public Transit

(Springfield) — Illinois lawmakers are debating separate bills designed to overhaul public transit in the state and cover a large budget deficit next year. Proposed ways to boost revenue include new tolls on suburban drivers, a rideshare tax, and fees for charging electric vehicles. Transit officials say they need 771-million-dollars next year and sustainable funding of one-point-five-billion-dollar a year to keep the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace operating without massive cuts. The push to address mass transit funding comes as lawmakers face a deadline tomorrow to approve a spending plan for the budget year that begins July 1st.