RTA, CTA Chiefs Ask Daley, Edgar for Help

Bad news about the CTA's plummeting ridership - as well as thealready gloomy outlook for next year's budget - prompted the heads ofthe CTA and RTA on Tuesday to call on Mayor Daley and Gov. Edgar tohelp solve the financial crisis.

CTA Chairman Clark Burrus and RTA Chairman Gayle Franzen saidthe mayor and governor must get involved if the CTA is to receivefinancial help from the Legislature this year.

"We don't have the ability, either single-handedly or together,to determine the legislative agenda in Springfield," Franzen saidafter a meeting of the RTA Finance Committee. "If we are going toget any help at all, we need help from the fifth floor (Daley'soffice at City Hall) and the second floor (Edgar's office in theState Capitol), in that order. As much as either of us hate to putit at those doorsteps, that's where we are today."

That help could be needed sooner than the CTA thought. Theagency already was expecting a $50 million shortfall in 1994. But ifridership levels continue the trend started in January and February -when the number of riders sagged 10.5 percent from 1992 - the agencyalso could have a shortfall later this year.

To win RTA approval of its 1993 budget, the CTA had to promiseto come up with a plan by Aug. 15 to address the 1994 shortfall,either by finding new revenues or by cutting service. CTA PresidentRobert Belcaster said the CTA would seek more federal dollars toaddress the problem, but so far the agency has not revealed anylegislative strategy.

Edgar recently met with Franzen about the issue. A spokesmanfor the governor said Edgar will wait for a proposed solution fromthe CTA and RTA before deciding whether to support it.

Burrus and Franzen plan to meet with Daley soon.

Franzen was not optimistic that a solution to the CTA's chronicfinancial woes could be found this spring, when the state will begrappling with many issues.

However, he said, "I'll take anything that anyone's willing totalk about, because I just think it is not very bright public policy. . . to be talking about the real possibility of significant servicecuts."