Modernizing our fare gates (unnecessary)
Chicago democratic candidate for mayor Joe Holberg has decided to go to Tik tok to express how he’s “going to cut down on fare evasion” (@joeforchicago). He proposes spending nearly 50million dollars to replace all of our fare gates in order to what? Increase the fare revenue from < 20% to < 21%? The CTA provides a public service and helps promote community, equitable growth, and actual human investments; a $2.50 fare shouldn’t stop people from accessing essential jobs, entertainment, and socialization. Transit should be free, but it’s not and unfortunately that’s a world that we’re probably long from. In the meantime, the 50million dollars spent on fare gates should be invested into adding (back) a Racine stop on the Ashland/63rd branch of the green line. This project would cost roughly the same and would actually help transit equity, not widen the gap in transit inequality. Making community-driven investments, especially this one that has widespread support in the transit-desert of Englewood, should be our next mayors focus, not fear mongering our fare.