Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what action we can take to make our city great, featuring public meeting coverage by City Bureau’s Documenters.

Quote of the Week

“It's obviously a historic, unprecedented time for our industry and our region, and I am going to approach that as the acting president in terms of the opportunity it presents… I see a strong appetite that we're going to connect with in terms of elevating the importance of what we do and what we bring to communities during this time.”

— Nora Leerhsen, Chicago Transit Authority’s acting president, speaking on what’s next for public transit as authorities must still resolve a massive budget gap.

[Regular Board Meeting Chicago Transit Authority, June 11, 2025]

‘Doomsday’ prep: transit edition

Transit authorities are scrambling for a Plan B after the Illinois General Assembly failed to take action to address a $770 million budget shortfall for Chicago-area transit. 

State legislators are considering multiple plans, including one in which a new Northern Illinois Transit Authority would replace the Regional Transportation Authority, acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen said. The new agency would oversee regional policy issues including fares and major projects while the current transit agencies would mostly focus on running buses and trains.

When questioned about the plan and whether a larger transit authority would make it harder for CTA to respond to the needs of riders, Leerhsen was adamant that her main priority is to secure funding so the CTA can continue delivering and improving its services.

An extreme loss in funding would hit hard as Chicago pursues major transit investments, such as the Frequent Network to increase service for certain bus routes across the city.

“I think it's incredibly important that members of the legislature and the public are also reminded of what we can do with the money when we do receive it, and also reminded of what we've achieved in the past few years in terms of our hiring and our workforce and what we're ready to do when that money does come our way,” Leerhsen said.

What you can do:

Attend storytelling collection workshop: As 40% in transit cuts loom, get trained to share your stories and tell your elected officials to fight for a world-class transportation system. 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, 2229 S. Michigan Ave., RSVP here.

The [fare] share fight goes statewide

City Council is abandoning an ordinance to improve wages and working conditions for ride-share drivers after Uber agreed to support a state bill that would allow those drivers to unionize. 

The Illinois Drivers Alliance, based out of the Service Employees International Union Local 1 and the International Association of Machinists Mechanics Union Local 701, announced the deal with Uber on Monday morning, setting the stage for around 100,000 ride-share drivers across Illinois to organize.

After nearly two years of advocacy, the Committee on Workforce Development was set to vote on the Chicago Rideshare Living Wage and Safety Ordinance  last Thursday. Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd Ward), who introduced the ordinance, delayed the vote, then canceled it following an Illinois Drivers Alliance press conference to announce the campaign’s latest win. 

As a part of the deal, Uber agreed not to fight the efforts to give drivers collective bargaining rights. Drivers would still be classified as independent contractors. The unions have not reached a similar agreement from Lyft but they are discussing the issues with the company, Local 1 spokesperson Bailey Koch told  the Chicago Tribune. The legislation is being drafted, according to the Sun-Times.

The Chicago Rideshare Living Wage and Safety Ordinance, or the “The FairShare Ordinance,” aimed to improve conditions for ride-share drivers in Chicago by establishing a living wage, ensuring safety protections, and increasing transparency in fares and deactivation processes.  

On Monday, Rodriguez, supporters of the ordinance and  The People’s Lobby took to social media to celebrate:“Our campaign to pass the Chicago Rideshare Living Wage and Safety Ordinance is over. But the fight is now entering a new phase and on a larger scale.”

What you can do:

Catch up on the headlines:

  • ‘Most drivers aren’t making money:’ App-based gig work promised freedom and flexibility. Workers feel exploited and unsafe. | Illinois Answers Project

  • Uber wrongfully charged riders downtown congestion fee for months | Block Club Chicago

Carpool safety

The Committee on Transportation and Public Way is supporting efforts to establish a pilot program for safe pick-up and drop-off services for Chicago teenagers attending public events in the West Side’s 29th Ward. 

If passed, the order would direct the Chicago Department of Transportation to negotiate an intergovernmental agreement among City Council, and the Chicago Transit Authority or the Regional Transportation Authority to establish the pilot. 

Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward) said a major motivation behind the initiative was the recognition that even if there are youth-centered activities available, youth often lack the ability to get to them. 

Multiple alders voiced support for the pilot, expressing desire to bring similar programs to their wards. Next steps will involve meeting with CTA to evaluate prospective costs of the pilot, followed by establishing a funding source, Taliaferro said.

“I hope this pilot program will be approved as it’s reintroduced but at the same time, that all of our wards that are having difficulties with youth getting from one location to another, can benefit from it,” he said. 

The item is being held in committee as details of the order are finalized.

What you can do:

Want this pilot in your ward? Click here to find your ward and contact your alder.

Catch up on the headlines:

  • Transportation Committee to consider automated enforcement program for school buses, safe youth travel pilot program | The Daily Line

A version of this story was first published in the June 18, 2025 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.

Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.