Latest news with #ChristopherClark
The Independent
3 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Chicago risks severe cuts to transit. Its poorest suburbs could be hit even harder
Winfred Wilson was struggling to make ends meet on less than $700 a month, so he moved in with his daughter, gave up his car and started relying exclusively on public transit to take him wherever he needed to go across Chicago 's southern suburbs. As he waited for a bus connection in his hometown of Harvey on a recent trip to the grocery store, Wilson waved at familiar travelers who regularly pass through the key transportation hub serving one of the region's poorest areas. Many, he said, encounter little resistance from drivers when they board without paying. ' People in affluent neighborhoods, they have cars and personal transportation, but they don't want to get caught up in the rush hour,' so they use transit, Wilson said. 'We couldn't live without it.' Public transit agencies across the U.S. have been grappling with a fiscal cliff spurred by declining ridership and the impending sunset of federal COVID-19 relief funding. The Chicago area faces particularly bleak service cuts that officials warn could be set in motion as early as Saturday if Illinois legislators adjourn without plugging a $770 million hole in the transportation budget. The big city's commuters would be hit hard, with the Chicago Transit Authority poised to shut down four of eight elevated train lines and 74 of 127 bus routes under the worst-case scenario. But perhaps no place illustrates the range of potential outcomes more vividly than Harvey, whose mayor, Christopher Clark — a lifelong resident — says was once 'the metropolis of the Southland' before plants and factories closed and disinvestment took hold. Suburb at a crossroads Already the busiest station for PACE, the region's suburban bus system that also serves paratransit customers, Harvey recently won state and federal grant money for a state-of-the-art facility that would put the buses under the same roof as the Metra commuter rail stop a block away. Plans eventually call for a high-speed bus line connecting the Harvey station to the Red Line L train that cuts through the downtown Chicago Loop. Such an upgrade could be an economic boon for Harvey, where now-vacant businesses are found on almost every downtown block and where more than 1 in 4 residents live below the poverty line. But even if the new station is built, ending or severely cutting the buses and trains that pass through could send the city reeling in the opposite direction. 'It would be chaos for us in the suburbs,' said Cheyane Felton, after finishing her shift at a coffee stand in the basement of Harvey's City Hall. 'It would cut us off.' Without additional state funding, PACE could be forced to halt buses in Harvey and elsewhere on weekends and after 8 p.m. on weekdays, executive director Melinda Metzger said. 'The downside for this is disastrous,' she said in an interview at the Harvey stop. 'You would be cutting back your service by at least 40%, not giving people viable rides. They might get to work, but they might have a late-night shift and can't get home, so ridership also would plummet to match the service cuts.' Transit's nationwide funding crunch Major public transportation agencies across the country have had varying degrees of success lobbying their legislatures for more support with the federal emergency funding set to expire at the end of the year. Perhaps no place mirrors Chicago's current situation more than Philadelphia, which faces a $213 million transportation budget deficit next year, even after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro authorized redirecting some of the state's highway money to mass transit. Absent more funding, riders could see a 20% spike in fares, a 9 p.m. curfew, and the elimination of 50 bus routes and five of eight regional rail lines, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has said. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bailout package in 2023 to help fund New York City's subway and buses. She also opened a major new source of transit revenue by implementing congestion pricing for drivers in Manhattan, but it remains to be seen whether the new tolls will survive threats from President Donald Trump's administration to shut them down. Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and numerous other transit-dependent cities have also been scrambling to avert major cuts. A moving deadline? 'No funding without reform' has been a common mantra among Illinois legislators working to hash out a solution for Chicago's transit crisis before leaving Springfield on Saturday at the end of their regular session. Technically, the money doesn't run out until the end of the year, and there will likely be a veto session that could provide another shot at an 11th-hour rescue. But transportation officials say they'll have to start laying out the specific cuts next week if the funding doesn't come through by then. 'It's not a light switch we can just turn on or off," said Leanne Redden, executive director of the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees planning and funding for the area's transit agencies. "Even if we find funding at a future point, it's a slow process to kind of unwind the unwinding.' So far, there have been no major breakthroughs on funding, although a compromise surfaced this week to create a new umbrella organization that, among other things, would ensure the various agencies work in unison rather than as competitors for the same customers. 'They should just be able to get on and go where they want to go, and that has not been happening with the governance that we've had up to now,' Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. Chicago's transit agencies argue they're more efficient than their peers in other states and get by with a smaller portion of state funding. Clark, the Harvey mayor, said he still envisions his community benefitting from the economic promise of a new transit facility rather than enduring disappointment once again. 'I guess some people want me to paint a picture that it's a nuclear Armageddon or something like that,' he said. 'I can't paint that picture because I have to remain ever hopeful that we will get what we need to get in due time. Government is a long game.'
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Chicago risks severe cuts to transit. Its poorest suburbs could be hit even harder
HARVEY, Ill. (AP) — Winfred Wilson was struggling to make ends meet on less than $700 a month, so he moved in with his daughter, gave up his car and started relying exclusively on public transit to take him wherever he needed to go across Chicago's southern suburbs. As he waited for a bus connection in his hometown of Harvey on a recent trip to the grocery store, Wilson waved at familiar travelers who regularly pass through the key transportation hub serving one of the region's poorest areas. Many, he said, encounter little resistance from drivers when they board without paying. 'People in affluent neighborhoods, they have cars and personal transportation, but they don't want to get caught up in the rush hour,' so they use transit, Wilson said. 'We couldn't live without it.' Public transit agencies across the U.S. have been grappling with a fiscal cliff spurred by declining ridership and the impending sunset of federal COVID-19 relief funding. The Chicago area faces particularly bleak service cuts that officials warn could be set in motion as early as Saturday if Illinois legislators adjourn without plugging a $770 million hole in the transportation budget. The big city's commuters would be hit hard, with the Chicago Transit Authority poised to shut down four of eight elevated train lines and 74 of 127 bus routes under the worst-case scenario. But perhaps no place illustrates the range of potential outcomes more vividly than Harvey, whose mayor, Christopher Clark — a lifelong resident — says was once 'the metropolis of the Southland' before plants and factories closed and disinvestment took hold. Suburb at a crossroads Already the busiest station for PACE, the region's suburban bus system that also serves paratransit customers, Harvey recently won state and federal grant money for a state-of-the-art facility that would put the buses under the same roof as the Metra commuter rail stop a block away. Plans eventually call for a high-speed bus line connecting the Harvey station to the Red Line L train that cuts through the downtown Chicago Loop. Such an upgrade could be an economic boon for Harvey, where now-vacant businesses are found on almost every downtown block and where more than 1 in 4 residents live below the poverty line. But even if the new station is built, ending or severely cutting the buses and trains that pass through could send the city reeling in the opposite direction. 'It would be chaos for us in the suburbs,' said Cheyane Felton, after finishing her shift at a coffee stand in the basement of Harvey's City Hall. 'It would cut us off.' Without additional state funding, PACE could be forced to halt buses in Harvey and elsewhere on weekends and after 8 p.m. on weekdays, executive director Melinda Metzger said. 'The downside for this is disastrous,' she said in an interview at the Harvey stop. 'You would be cutting back your service by at least 40%, not giving people viable rides. They might get to work, but they might have a late-night shift and can't get home, so ridership also would plummet to match the service cuts.' Transit's nationwide funding crunch Major public transportation agencies across the country have had varying degrees of success lobbying their legislatures for more support with the federal emergency funding set to expire at the end of the year. Perhaps no place mirrors Chicago's current situation more than Philadelphia, which faces a $213 million transportation budget deficit next year, even after Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro authorized redirecting some of the state's highway money to mass transit. Absent more funding, riders could see a 20% spike in fares, a 9 p.m. curfew, and the elimination of 50 bus routes and five of eight regional rail lines, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority has said. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bailout package in 2023 to help fund New York City's subway and buses. She also opened a major new source of transit revenue by implementing congestion pricing for drivers in Manhattan, but it remains to be seen whether the new tolls will survive threats from President Donald Trump's administration to shut them down. Boston, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and numerous other transit-dependent cities have also been scrambling to avert major cuts. A moving deadline? 'No funding without reform' has been a common mantra among Illinois legislators working to hash out a solution for Chicago's transit crisis before leaving Springfield on Saturday at the end of their regular session. Technically, the money doesn't run out until the end of the year, and there will likely be a veto session that could provide another shot at an 11th-hour rescue. But transportation officials say they'll have to start laying out the specific cuts next week if the funding doesn't come through by then. 'It's not a light switch we can just turn on or off,' said Leanne Redden, executive director of the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees planning and funding for the area's transit agencies. 'Even if we find funding at a future point, it's a slow process to kind of unwind the unwinding.' So far, there have been no major breakthroughs on funding, although a compromise surfaced this week to create a new umbrella organization that, among other things, would ensure the various agencies work in unison rather than as competitors for the same customers. 'They should just be able to get on and go where they want to go, and that has not been happening with the governance that we've had up to now,' Gov. J.B. Pritzker said. Chicago's transit agencies argue they're more efficient than their peers in other states and get by with a smaller portion of state funding. Clark, the Harvey mayor, said he still envisions his community benefitting from the economic promise of a new transit facility rather than enduring disappointment once again. 'I guess some people want me to paint a picture that it's a nuclear Armageddon or something like that,' he said. 'I can't paint that picture because I have to remain ever hopeful that we will get what we need to get in due time. Government is a long game.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Chaos unfolds in Illinois after local lawmaker arrested during council meeting for raising residents' concerns
Tensions flared at a Harvey, Illinois, city council meeting on May 12, as Mayor Christopher Clark ordered the room cleared just 20 minutes into the session. He cited disruptions from residents and supporters of Alderperson Colby Chapman. The confrontation underscored growing resident unrest over several issues they face with the southern Chicago suburb's administration. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 5 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) Chapman, representing Harvey's 2nd Ward, has become a central figure in the city's political turmoil. She was arrested during an April 28 council meeting — the second such incident — after attempting to raise concerns about a resident's property being sold. Video footage shows her being physically removed by police. Chapman contends she was merely advocating for a constituent. When asked why she didn't stay silent and just leave, she told FOX 32, "In that moment, I gathered my things, and that's exactly what I was looking to do. But when three male officers approached me as a female, as I'm trying to gather my things, I think that would startle any person, whether it be man or woman, because there's this abrasive approach to asking me to leave, and I simply was leaving. But the further point is, is all of that insinuated simply because I was being a voice for Ms. Allen?" Chapman's April arrest was for resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Her mother was charged with the same. However, Chapman denies any physical altercation and explained, "I did not hit an officer (or) push an officer on my way out of the council. Nobody should have to ingest physical behavior simply for inquiry, and unfortunately, I digested that.' Residents at the May 12 meeting voiced frustrations over rising water bills, lack of city spending transparency and perceived public input suppression. Read more: You're probably already overpaying for this 1 'must-have' expense — and thanks to Trump's tariffs, your monthly bill could soar even higher. Here's how 2 minutes can protect your wallet right now One attendee said, "They don't want you to speak up with the injustice that's happening in the Black community. They're displacing us out of our communities. They're taking our homes." Chapman's next court appearance is scheduled for June 4. She and her supporters continue to call for a federal investigation into the city's practices, alleging systemic issues affecting the community's well-being. Aside from the issues the residents cited recently, they are also grappling with some of the highest property tax rates in Illinois and even the U.S. According to the Civic Federation, Harvey's estimated effective residential property tax rate was 4.74% in 2022, the highest among 11 selected suburban municipalities in Cook County. Another source shows Harvey's rate reaching nearly 7%, mainly due to declining property values along with stagnant or increasing levies. These burdens are compounded by a shrinking tax base. A report by the Illinois Policy Institute noted that from 2007 to 2016, Harvey's property tax rates nearly doubled as residents left the area, exacerbating the financial strain on those who remained. This financial pressure has led some households to make difficult choices in their budgets, such as delaying medical care or utility payments, to meet their tax obligations. Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
CBS News
12-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Harvey alderperson to speak after being hauled off, arrested during council meeting
A south suburban leader is set to speak out about what she calls "deeply troubling" events at Harvey's city hall. Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd Ward) was arrested for a third time during a council meeting last week. She's calling for a state and federal investigation into the city's actions. Her latest arrest was in the middle of the proceedings on April 28. Mayor Christopher Clark says Chapman was disruptive three different times and kept asking about an issue that had already been addressed. Chapman said the city sold a senior's home for $2,000 due to that issue. She wanted to know what led the city to sell the home and called for financial transparency. Video inside the meeting showed the moments after Chapman refused to be removed. An officer comes up, and that's when she pushes them. She was later put in handcuffs off-camera. This led other council members to call for a censure of Chapman. "This is an opportunity for the usual biweekly grandstanding we normally get from this particular alderperson, which is why, in my opinion, the other alderpersons were so readily available to issue a motion of censure, because this is not the first time we've had to deal with this," Mayor Christopher Clark said. Ald. Chapman is set to speak at 6:15 p.m. at Harvey City Hall.
CBS News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Harvey alderperson removed from city council meeting, arrested; accused of repeated disruptions
Emotions ran high at a recent city council meeting in south suburban Harvey, Illinois, as an alderperson was hauled off by police in the middle of the meeting. Mayor Christopher Clark said at the council's meeting on April 28, Ald. Colby Chapman (2nd Ward) kept bringing up a constituent's issue about a home that he claims had already been addressed. The mayor said Chapman was disruptive three times during that meeting, leading him to ask the council members to vote on censure Chapman and remove her from the meeting. "The 2nd Ward Alderman was out of order," Clark said. Video shot by a frequent critic of the mayor, and shared on Chapman's aldermanic Facebook page, shows Chapman refusing to be removed. An officer then came to gather her belongings, prompting Chapman to say: "Don't touch my stuff!" Then Chapman pushed the officer, and was led out by police. She tried to stay in the meeting by holding onto the door. Harvey Chief of Police Cameron Biddings said she was later placed in handcuffs off camera. "This is an opportunity for the usual biweekly grandstanding we normally get from this particular alderperson, which is why in my opinion that the other alderpersons were so readily available to issue a motion of censure, because this is not the first time that we've had to deal with this," Clark said. The mayor said Chapman has been censured and asked to leave city council meetings on two other occasions. During the incident on April 28, she was arrested and charged with battery of a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Biddings said Chapman's mother was also arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. "There's a barrier that we have inside of city hall, and we don't allow residents to come past, and during the commotion her mother walked past that barrier. We asked her to step back. She didn't want to do so we ended up having her escorted out. She walked out following her daughter, and then when we were asking them to leave the facility, she did not want to leave the building," Biddings said. When asked for comment, Chapman said she'll be having a news conference on May 12 at 6 p.m. at Harvey City Hall.
