Quote of the Day

"You now, like a commuter, will pick. You may either drive to operate or take public transit... Public transit differs from driving to operate. You'll make that choice."—Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, around the Chicago Transit Authority's suggested 16% increase "to the price of a 30-day pass and greater jumps for just one-day, three-day, and 7-day passes."Because apparently the Mayor is of the opinion that everybody in Chicago is the owner of a vehicle.Fun Fact! Not everybody in Chicago is the owner of a vehicle.Fun Fact! Most of the individuals who don't own cars can't afford to possess a vehicle.Fun Fact! For citizens of Chicago who can't afford to possess a vehicle, public transit is easily the most cost-effective method of getting round the city, and CTA passes would be the most cost-efficient way of utilizing public transit.Fundamental Math! If you're poor, it is best to buy a pass of some description than individual costs.Fun Fact! Individual costs aren't being hiked.So, here's the offer: If you're the kind of individual who has got the disposable earnings to purchase a vehicle inside a city where vehicle possession isn't generally essential of daily existence the actual way it is within a lot of suburban and exurban America, you are the kind of individual who are able to afford taxis, and Zipcars, and individual CTA costs. Thus, this rise in the price of public transit won't affect you whatsoever.If, however, you're the kind of individual who doesn't have the disposable earnings to purchase a car—which, incidentally, most likely means you are residing in an element of the city that CTA service continues to be cut or never was excellent to begin with, creating a vehicle more helpful for you than someone residing in, say, Lincoln subsequently Park—you are the kind of individual who can't easily afford taxis, or Zipcars, and who maybe needs to watch every dollar, every 3 months, every cent, so you go searching for CTA passes, which will make every ride less expensive than should you compensated individual costs.And when you are really poor, you very well may only have the ability to scrape together the cash for any weekly pass, that is growing by 22%, or perhaps a three-day pass, that is growing by 43%, or perhaps a one-day pass, that is growing to $10 from $5.75—an increase of 74%.Thus, should you are among the individuals who most needs affordable use of public transit, you'll be shouldering the greatest burden of keeping base rates low for those who have no need for the discount that passes convey, for those who are able to afford a regular monthly pass having to break a sweat.And when you do not like this, well, based on Mayor Emanuel, you can easily drive your vehicle to operate.Simply because apparently the Mayor is of the opinion that everybody in Chicago includes a job, too.