SSMMA municipal officials, representing taxpayers that have contributed over $110,000,000 in sales tax revenue to the RTA—in 2018 alone— were surprised and concerned to learn that House Bill 62, the 362 page appropriations bill passed in Springfield in early June, includes $100,000,000 appropriated from the Multi-Modal Transportation Bond Fund to the Department of Transportation for a grant to the Regional Transportation Authority for all costs associated with the Kendall County Metra Rail Extension. This, when Kendall County residents have never provided even one penny in RTA taxes.
In response, SSMMA’s Transportation Committee and the full board considered and unanimously passed Resolution 2019-002 last week. It is the Resolution Regarding Metra Resource Allocation that calls for Metra to cease all efforts and expenditures for expansion of commuter rail service into non-RTA-taxpaying area, including any feasibility and engineering studies. Further, the Resolution states, if expansion is going to be funded at the expense of maintenance, Metra should focus all efforts toward the Southeast Service Line where communities have already invested taxes to the RTA, planned the facilities, and purchased property. See full resolution here.