>> IT'S A BOLD VISION FOR PUBLIC TRANSIT.

SOME STATE LAWMAKERS ARE PUSHING TO MERGE CTA, METRA AND PACE INTO ONE REGIONAL TRANSIT AGENCY AND FUNNEL A BILLION AND A HALF DOLLARS MORE EACH YEAR TO THE SYSTEM WITH LOCAL PUBLIC TRANSIT FACING A MASSIVE FISCAL CLIFF.

BACKERS OF THE PLAN SAY ADDITIONAL FUNDING TIED TO MAJOR GOVERNANCE REFORM CAN CREATE A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM THAT MEETS UNMET NEEDS.

REPORTER NICK BLUMBERG JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

NIC, GIVE US DETAILS OF THIS PLAN WILL BRING U.S.

LAWMAKERS HAVE INTRODUCED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD CREATE THE NEW METROPOLITAN MOBILITY AUTHORITY.

IT WOULD REPLACE THE CURRENT REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY WHICH OVERSEES CTA, METRA AND PACE.

>> BUT WHICH MANY TRANSIT ADVOCATES SAY HASN'T CREATED THE KIND OF REGIONAL COORDINATION REALLY NEEDED FOR TOP TIER TRANSIT.

NOW THOSE SEPARATE AGENCIES WOULD BE MERGED INTO ONE OVERSEEING RAPID TRANSIT COMMUTER RAIL BUS AND PARATRANSIT A COMPANION BILL ALSO BOOSTS TRANSIT FUNDING BY 1.5 BILLION DOLLARS ANNUALLY BILLION WITH A B.

THE MMA WOULD BE OVERSEEN BY DIRECTORS CHOSEN BY THE GOVERNOR AND REGIONAL ELECTED OFFICIALS WITH THE MAYOR OF CHICAGO AND COOK COUNTY BOARD.

PRESIDENT GETTING THE MOST PICKS NOW, BACKERS OF THE PLAN SAY TRANSIT HAS BEEN CHRONICALLY UNDERFUNDED, BUT THAT SIMPLY THROWING MORE MONEY AT THE CURRENT SYSTEM WON'T CREATE THE KIND OF REFORMS NEEDED.

LAWMAKERS SAY THEY HAVEN'T YET IDENTIFIED WHERE THAT NEW TRANSIT FUNDING WOULD COME FROM BUT ARGUE MORE REVENUE AND BIG REFORMS ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED, ESPECIALLY FOR BLACK AND LATINO COMMUNITIES FACING DISPROPORTIONATELY LONG COMMUTES.

IT'S HARDER FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES.

>> TO GET TO THEIR JOBS, THEIR SCHOOL OR HOSPITAL.

WE NEED TO TACKLE THE ISSUE OF WHAT TYPE OF SERVICE WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE FOR OUR RIDERS AND FOR OUR RESIDENT.

I THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE FUNDING THAT'S NEEDED MY VISION FOR THE FUTURE.

>> OF TRANSIT IS THAT ONE DAY PEOPLE WILL CHOOSE TO GET IN ON A BUS OR ON A TRAIN.

RATHER THAN TO DRIVE IN THEIR CARS.

>> NIC, WHAT KIND OF FINANCIAL PROBLEMS ARE THE CURRENT TRANSIT AGENCIES FACING?

WELL, RIDERSHIP STILL HAS NOT RETURNED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS RIGHT NOW.

THE REVENUE FROM THOSE MISSING RIDERS IS BEING FILLED BY FEDERAL COVID RELIEF.

MONEY.

BUT THAT'S ESTIMATED TO RUN OUT IN EARLY 2026, LEAVING A 730 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET GAP.

ACCORDING TO AN RTA REPORT, THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IS FUNDING FOR CHICAGO LAND TRANSIT LAGS FAR BEHIND OTHER PLACES LIKE PHILADELPHIA OR BOSTON.

THE RTA WHICH WOULD BE REPLACED ENTIRELY UNDER THIS PROPOSAL.

ISN'T IT TAKING A STANCE ON THE LEGISLATION?

BUT THEY DID ECHO.

LAWMAKERS CALLS FOR WAY MORE FUNDING.

DO WE KNOW HOW QUICKLY THIS PROPOSAL MIGHT MOVE FORWARD?

NOT YET.

AND UNDERSTANDABLY STILL A LOT TO PARSE HEAR.

LAWMAKERS SAY THEY'VE BEEN AN ONGOING CONVERSATIONS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS WITH TRANSIT AND LEGISLATIVE LEADERS, TRANSIT AGENCY HEAD SO FAR HAVE BEEN PRETTY SKEPTICAL OF THIS PLAN AS YOU CAN PROBABLY IMAGINE.

THE BILL'S BACKERS DIDN'T SAY WHETHER THEY WERE GOING TO TRY AND MOVE DURING THE CURRENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION THIS SPRING OR THEY MIGHT TRY TO PUSH IT FORWARD LATER IN THE YEAR.

BUT ADVOCATES SAY WHILE A UNIFIED SYSTEM WILL BE A BOON TO RIDERS A MERGER OF LONGSTANDING SEPARATE AGENCIES WILL BE A BIG LIFT AS WELL.

EVERYTHING FROM PENSION PLANS TO ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS TO UNION CONTRACTS.

THAT MIGHT TAKE A COUPLE OF YEARS.

SO WE MAY NOT BENEFITS IMMEDIATELY EXCEPT FOR MAYBE WITH THE ONE AND A HALF BILLION DOLLARS OF ADDITIONAL FUNDING THAT COULD HAVE IMMEDIATE BENEFITS.

BUT THE ORGANIZATIONAL BENEFITS, THE COST SAVINGS AND FURTHER ON IMMIGRATION COULD TAKE A FEW YEARS.

>> NOW AT A SEPARATE EVENT TODAY, GOVERNOR JB PRITZKER SAID HE HADN'T YET READ THE BILL.

IT WAS JUST INTRODUCED TODAY SO HE COULDN'T TAKE A STANCE ON IT YET.

BUT PRITZKER AGREE THAT IT IS KEY TO RETHINK HOW CHICAGOLAND TRANSIT IT'S FUNDED AND OPERATED BRANDIS.

INTERESTING CONCEPT.

NICK, THANK YOU.