No Ticket To Ride

  I met an interesting guy at Union Station.  His name is Orley Herron who was president of National Louis University for 20 years between 1977 and 1997.  During his "retirement" he runs a feature film and television production company and says he's done some acting.  Herron is 76 years old.

  He and I talked shortly after he arrived downtown from his home in Lake Forest.  He was newsworthy today because Herron did not pay for his ride on Metra.  He's enrolled in the "Free Rides for Seniors" program that began in March of 2008. 

  It may have been former governor Rod Blagojevich's most memorable executive act...writing the mandate ordering free rides to anyone over 65 years old into a rapid transit funding bill before he signed it that year.

  This week, the Regional Transportation Authority called on state lawmakers to repeal the mandate because it cost a combined $37 million dollars last year to Metra, The CTA and PACE, all of which have budget deficits.  The Metra board proposed fare increases for some of its tickets today and Chairman Carole Doris said the amount of money the increases would generate is roughly the same amount the free rides for seniors cost the system.

  Herron, who called the program "wonderful", warns lawmakers against rescinding the perk.  "Don't give something out that becomes a really nice thing to have and then turn around and take it away.  I don't think that's politically correct or personally correct", said Herron.

  Like the still-unresolved $10 billion Illinois budget deficit, the free rides for seniors issue is politically "radioactive" before the 2010 primary and general elections.  The democrats who control Springfield haven't gone near the issue realizing that seniors are the state's strongest and "turnout-tested" voter bloc.   Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno is sponsoring a bill to create a need-based system that for the moment is dead in the water. 

  Governor Quinn jumped on the end-the-free-rides bandwagon on a morning radio show.   But don't bet on him including the cause in his current barrage of campaign commercials.  It wouldn't be good politics.

   And apparently, that's all that counts this time of year in Springfield.