Pritzker says senator is 'late to the table' for transit funding
[September 10, 2025]
By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says a Republican
state senator is late to the table when it comes to public transit
funding, but Pritzker also says he is looking at all potential revenue
sources.
State Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, told The Center Square last month
that Senate Republicans were preparing new legislation to fund transit.
DeWitte noted that a Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency report
compared state funding of mass transit in large population centers.
“The state of Illinois had the smallest percentage of contribution to
mass transit in the nation,” DeWitte said.
DeWitte said labor agreed to allow interest from Illinois’ road fund to
be used for regional transit’s looming $770 million fiscal cliff and
suggested that Pritzker should do the same with the approximately $3
billion rainy day fund. DeWitte said the state reported that the rainy
day fund generated close to $600 million in interest since its
inception.
At an unrelated event in Chicago Tuesday, a reporter asked the governor
about DeWitte’s proposal to use interest from the state’s road and rainy
day funds to address the transit fiscal cliff.
“Well, he’s a little late to the table, if you ask me, if that’s a
recent proposal. All I can say it that we’re looking at all the
potential revenue sources to make sure we fund a world-class transit
system in the state of Illinois,” Pritzker responded.
State lawmakers are expected to address the fiscal cliff for public
transit during the General Assembly’s fall veto session next month.
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In addition to funding, DeWitte discussed a rail project which is
costing taxpayers more than $1 billion per mile.
Property demolition began earlier this year for the Chicago Transit
Authority’s Red Line extension on the city’s South Side. The
project’s cost, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation,
is $5.75 billion to extend the line 5.5 miles.
DeWitte said much of the funding is coming from federal taxpayers.
“They have somehow been able to convince our federal partners that
the costs are justified. There’s been significant federal dollars
appropriated to that one, specific project,” DeWitte said.
DeWitte said the new CTA leadership should take a look at where the
numbers came from and where exactly the money will be going.
“It sounds to me like it’s somebody’s pipe dream as to the gravy
train to an early retirement,” DeWitte said.
DeWitte said he thinks CTA Acting President Nora Leerhsen is doing a
great job. Leehrsen ascended to the job after previous President
Dorval Carter retired earlier this year.
DeWitte said the CTA is the biggest piece of the state’s $770
million fiscal cliff.
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