MPC has signed on as a Partner for
Transit in the Moving Beyond Congestion campaign
to create a modern transit network for northeastern Illinois . The campaign is
being led by
the
Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), in conjunction with Chicago
Transit Authority, Metra and Pace, and kicked off this
morning, Tuesday, July 25, with a news conference at Chicago’s Union Station, followed by
a meeting to convene
the
more than 100 partners so far signed on
to the campaign.
As traffic worsens, so, too, does its cost: the Texas Transportation
Institute puts a $4.2 billion price tag on lost productivity, late deliveries,
and other missed connections resulting from a transportation network failing to
meet our needs. Meanwhile, demand for public transit continues to rise, for good
reason: transit serves 1.6 million riders a day in northeastern Illinois, and
benefits the entire region by reducing the number of cars on the road, allowing
business to be conducted more smoothly and curbing emissions.Moving Beyond
Congestion will chart a course allowing our more than 100-year-old transit
system to adapt to meet our evolving demands.
“As our region expands, we
cannot afford to let our transit system become crippled by basic maintenance
problems,” said Peter Skosey, MPC vice president of external relations. “MPC is
uniting with a broad, diverse group of individuals, churches, businesses, and
nonprofit leaders, all calling for a strong, coordinated, expanded public
transit network to serve our region’s growing
needs.”
MPC contact: Peter Skosey, Vice President of External
Relations, 312.863.6004, pskosey@metroplanning.org
RTA
contact: Diane Palmer, Communications Director, Regional Transportation
Authority, 312.913.3200, palmer.diane@rtachicago.org
Chicago’s Proposed ‘Big-Box’ Ordinance Reduces Jobs, Places to Shop
On Wednesday, July 26, the Chicago City Council will vote on the so-called
“big-box ordinance” to set minimum wages and benefits for large retailers doing
business
in
Chicago. MPC
is opposed to the ordinance, which will harm community redevelopment
efforts.
“Residents of
Chicago
’s South and West
side communities want to work: last fall, thousands applied for a few hundred
positions at a proposed national retail store in the city,” said MPC Vice
President of External Relations Peter Skosey. “North Side communities have long
had these opportunities, while South and West side residents have been forced to
commute long distances to access them. If this ordinance passes, the long-term
viability of these stores – and the jobs and retail opportunities they will
bring to
Chicago
– will be jeopardized.
Skosey also notes retailers have
walked away from the city’s lucrative market in the past when an uneven playing
field was implemented by local government: when
Cook
County
’s property tax classification
system hiked property taxes for businesses operating in the county, companies
fled in droves – taking their jobs and tax revenues with them. A bifurcated wage
structure will have no less than the same effect.
MPC contact: Peter Skosey, Vice
President of External Relations, 312.863.6004, pskosey@metroplanning.org
MPC Annual Meeting Luncheon Provides Forum for Gubernatorial Candidates
As Democratic Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich makes his bid for
four more years, and Republican gubernatorial challenger Judy Baar Topinka aims
to take Illinois in a new direction, voters want to know: if elected, what will
each do to reduce congestion, increase housing options, improve schools, and
inspire sensible growth? Some 1,000 attendees will have the opportunity to hear
candidates – moderated by WBBM Newsradio 780 Political Editor Craig Dellimore –
address these critical issues at the Metropolitan Planning Council’s (MPC) 2006 Annual Meeting
Luncheon
, Aug. 7, 11:15 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., Hyatt
Regency Chicago, 151 E.
Wacker
Dr.,
Chicago.
“For the third time in as many gubernatorial
elections, we’ve invited the
candidates
for Illinois’ top
office to share their perspective on the issues that MPC and our partners
consider paramount
to
Illinois’ future,” said
MarySue Barrett
, MPC president. “We consistently
deliver a sensational program at our Annual Meeting Luncheon, and we expect this
year’s forum will follow tradition by sparking lively discussions around the
lunch table.”
There is no charge for working media to attend, however
advance registration is appreciated. Contact Mandy Burrell, MPC Communications
Associate, at 312.863.6018 or mburrell@metroplanning.org
.
In Some Suburbs, Rising Transportation Costs Outweigh Housing Cost Savings
New information from the Center for Neighborhood
Technology (CNT) shows that while some suburbs offer a greater variety of homes
with attractive price tags than the city, limited or no access to transit and
the inability to walk to nearby services or amenities results in long and
expensive vehicle commutes to work, and higher total household transportation
costs, since households need a car for every trip they make. The higher
transportation costs often outweigh the potential savings on housing costs.
According to CNT’s Housing
+ Transportation: Moving the Region Toward Greater Affordability
,
the
spike in fuel prices will increase the average household’s total transportation
expenditures – the second largest household expenditure – by 15 percent.
“These added costs are putting
the squeeze on families in the Chicago area, making it even more urgent to
provide a variety of housing options, including affordable apartments and homes,
near public transportation,” said Joanna Trotter, manager of MPC’s Community
Building Initiative. “Several regional and statewide initiatives currently are
working to do just that, but despite the great progress being made, it’s not
enough. As policy makers and advocates work to create new affordable housing
options, it is key that transportation factor into day-to-day policy and
planning decisions.”
Learn about regional and statewide initiatives
communities are using to help residents curb their auto-dependency by reading an
ongoing MPC Web series linking land use and fuel consumption. And
learn more about CNT’s Housing + Transportation presentation at www.cnt.org
.
MPC contact: Joanna Trotter, Community
Building Initiative Manager, 312 .863.6008, jtrotter@metroplanning.org
CNT
contact: Carrie Makarewicz, Research Manager, Center for Neighborhood
Technology, 773.278.4800, carrie@cnt.org