The budget cuts that would hit the Chicago Transit Authority under the budget plan Gov. Bruce Rauner outlined earlier this week would have a "significant negative impact" on the agency, a spokesman told NBC Chicago.
Furthermore, the cuts "risk reversing the impressive improvements the CTA has made in the last four years," Brian Steele wrote in an email.
In his first budget address, Rauner on Wednesday proposed trimming $128 million from the Regional Transportation Authority, which is responsible for financial oversight of the Chicago area's transit systems. Its budget funds Metra, the CTA and suburban Pace buses.
Rauner also threatened to reduce or eliminate the funds the CTA receives from the state for the free and reduced rides it offers to senior citizens and the disabled.
"Eliminating or reducing the $28M reimbursement ... would place a further burden on a state-mandated program that is already woefully underfunded," Steele said.
The CTA is currently undergoing a number of improvement projects to stations and tracks, as well as replacing vehicles.
