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‘Let’s move forward!’

At the end of a boisterous hearing Wednesday, a House panel endorsed Gov. Blagojevich’s plan to give senior citizens free bus and train rides as part of a mass-transit funding bill, setting up a potential final vote in the General Assembly as early as Thursday.

But the measure’s chief sponsor remained worried that lawmakers might not agree with the governor’s changes to the $535 million funding bill in time to avoid Sunday’s threatened service cuts and fare increases.

The House Mass Transit Committee approved the changes 16-5 in a vote that may not have been legally required before the full House considers the governor’s amendatory veto.

Instead, the hearing served as a platform for debating the governor’s last-minute revision, which he made as he sought to dampen the political fallout from breaking his long-held vow to veto a sales-tax increase.

Angry transit advocates turned out in full throat for the two-hour hearing at the James R. Thompson Center. They carried signs that read “Vote yes for seniors and mass transit” and “No Service Cuts!”

They loudly booed any legislator who expressed disapproval of the measure, which includes a regional sales-tax increase and a planned boost in Chicago’s real estate transfer tax that would pump an estimated $535 million into the RTA, Pace, Metra and the CTA.

The emotion of the moment seemed to inspire the typically mild-mannered Steve Schlickman, RTA’s executive director, who pleaded with lawmakers to endorse the governor’s changes.

Schlickman told legislators that the RTA supports Blagojevich’s changes to the measure passed by the legislature last Thursday. He assured them that agencies can handle the seniors program, estimated to cost up to $30 million annually.

In an exchange with state Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst), an opponent of the measure who complained about the cost of providing rides to seniors, Schlickman raised his voice and pounded his fist.

“We can’t afford to have fare increases and service cuts this Sunday,” Schlickman said. “It would be the worst thing to happen to transit in this region, in this state, and possibly this country.”

With the audience cheering him on, Schlickman continued.

“We have worked on this for over a year,” he added. “I quite frankly am getting tired of it because I am spending too much time in Springfield. Let’s move forward!”

Schlickman apologized to surprised lawmakers after his emotional response.

Still, lawmakers on both sides of the measure criticized Blagojevich for adding the seniors’ provision onto his veto instead of negotiating to put it in the original bill.

“I care about seniors; the governor doesn’t. He cares about politics,” said state Rep. Fred Crespo (R-Streamwood), who complained that the governor vetoed other legislation that provided his district with projects for seniors.

“I’m getting tired of this,” Crespo said. “It’s not so much ‘no’ against this bill, but it is no against the governor.”

Crespo’s remarks were met with a loud chorus of “booooo.”

Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), who sponsored the original legislation and oversaw Thursday’s hearing, said she was “gratified” by the committee’s support but worried that the governor’s changes won’t make it through both the full House and Senate. The bill passed with no votes to spare in the Senate and a two-vote cushion in the House.

“I have been very fearful that we will not have the votes in place,” she said.

In hopes of gaining additional support, Hamos said she would offer a so-called “trailer bill” Thursday if lawmakers approve the governor’s changes. The legislation would alter the governor’s offer of free rides to all seniors by restricting free or reduced-cost public transportation to elderly who have low or moderate incomes while also offering the same benefits to disabled people who meet similar income guidelines, she said.

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DAYS TO GO

Countdown to doomsday

Despite the most recent developments, Sunday is still the day the CTA says it will be forced to eliminate 81 bus routes and raise fares, unless a funding agreement is reached. RedEye keeps you up to date at redeyechicago.com/ctablog, or visit the CTA’s Web site at transitchicago.com.