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Springfield, IL (WAND) – The Northern Illinois Transit Authority is now officially in charge of Chicagoland buses and trains, but the $1.5 billion transit spending and reform plan left downstate lawmakers and taxpayers concerned.
Gov. JB Pritzker said Illinois transit was facing a doomsday scenario last year, with service cuts and fare hikes on the horizon. The Democrat said NITA is driving Illinois forward with a transformative vision that will deliver a reliable, safe, and unified public transportation system for the entire region.
Transit negotiators agreed to use state motor fuel sales tax revenue to generate $860 million. The 2025 law also took $200 million in annual interest from the Illinois road fund for transit projects. People in the Chicago area are paying higher sales tax and tolls as well.
“From the far northern reaches of our state to east and west central Illinois to southern Illinois, we are bolstering operations and upgrading trains, tracks, and buses,” Pritzker said. “We’re doing it in the most responsible way with no new statewide taxes.”
But many central and southern Illinois lawmakers are upset downstate transit companies only received $129 million to improve operations and $20 million to expand services. Downstate advocates had requested $220 million of the massive spending plan.
GOP leaders were also furious that a massive chunk of funds dedicated to roads and bridges shifted to Chicagoland projects.
“They are taken and used to fund mass transit, with 15% of an expected $860 million total going to downstate and 85% going to the RTA or the new NITA,” said Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria).
Sponsors believe this was the best time to create long-term solutions for Northern Illinois transit and provide a world-class system for riders. They argue the law ensures buses and trains are safe, frequent and dependable.
“Without action, families across Chicagoland and across our state were at risk of being cut off from opportunity,” said Rep. Eva Dina Delgado (D-Chicago).
Still, local leaders say Illinois will lose even more population as residents are “taxed out of control.”
“It’s one thing to pay taxes,” said Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield). “It’s another thing to, as you’re paying these taxes, not see the improvements that you’re paying for.”
Senate Bill 2111 passed out of the House on a 72-32 vote and received a 36-21 vote in the Senate. The law took effect June 1.
The governor’s office said NITA is already working to make service safer for everyone, with additional funding and improved coordination on public safety, bringing transit agencies, law enforcement and human services agencies together to deploy the best response to each kind of incident.