One of a series to discuss transportation funding vital to area businesses
A final version of the federal transportation bill may pass as early as April
30, 2004, and strong bipartisan cooperation could result in a more generous
final package than the $256 billion limit set by President Bush. Business
Leaders for Transportation is pushing for legislation that addresses
northeastern Illinois’ complex transportation — and especially mass transit —
needs. The group is hosting a second series of forums to bring together business
leaders and their congressional representatives to rally for improvements to the
Chicago region system to ensure it remains a healthy place to do business.
On
Thursday, April 15, 2004, at DePaul University in Chicago, U.S. Rep. Rahm
Emanuel (D-5th District) will speak at the second in a 2004 series of forums
with members of Congress to address transportation issues important to the local
business community. Other speakers will be MarySue Barrett, president of the
Metropolitan Planning Council, and Miguel d’Escoto, commissioner of the City of
Chicago Department of Transportation. The series is sponsored by Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Railway, and Thursday’s forum is co-hosted by DePaul
University, the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, Melrose Park Chamber of
Commerce, and West Cook Community Development Corporation. The forum follows a
series in late 2003 that brought together congressmen and local leaders with
more than 500 concerned constituents.
“Our
region requested funding for a dozen transit projects in the next bill,
including the new CTA Circle Line and extension of the Red and Yellow lines,
which we’ll need to get a growing population of commuters to their jobs,” said
Barrett, whose organization co-leads Business Leaders with Chicago Metropolis
2020 and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.
Business
Leaders for Transportation, a coalition of nearly 180 members representing more
than 12,000 regional employers, provides a collective voice for Chicago-area
businesses on surface transportation issues. Of central importance to the
coalition is increased state and federal transportation funding for northeastern
Illinois, supported by coordinated planning to achieve the most efficient and
desirable return on transportation system investments.
WHAT
Public forum on federal transportation funding
WHEN
Thursday, April 15, 2004, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
WHERE
DePaul University, Cortelyou Commons, 2324 N. Fremont, Chicago. Click here for a campus map (Cortelyou Commons is No. 40).
WHO
- U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-5th District)
- MarySue Barrett, President, Metropolitan Planning
Council
- Miguel d’Escoto, Commissioner, Chicago Department of
Transportation
- Joseph Schwieterman, Director, Chaddick Institute (moderator)
The forum is free to members of the working media, but
pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, contact Karyn Romano
at
312.863.6005.