Free Bus Rides Axed for Rich Senior Citizens

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Starting Sunday, about 1,000 CTA employees will lose their jobs and over 100 routes will be reduced. Union and CTA workers are

Grandma, grandpa, we have to talk.

The Illinois House voted overwhelmingly today to scale back the free-rides-for-seniors program on public transit systems, the Sun-Times reports.

The program was originally put in place by then Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Seniors making under $27,610 a year, or a couple making under $36,635, would continue to be able to ride for free.

The Regional Transportation Authority would save $37 million a year if the cuts go through, Brassi says. The transit agency is running a roughly $90 million annual deficit.

“It’s going to take the whole system down if we don’t correct it now,” said State Sen. Suzanne Bassi (R-Palatine), who proposed the fix.

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