Because there have been repeated acts of negligence and recent disregard for federal law, Illinois State Rep. Jack D. Franks (D-Woodstock) has called for the immediate removal of Treasurer Jack Schaffer, as well as the other ten members of the Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metra) Board of Directors. In addition, Franks has introduced legislation aimed at reforming and bringing transparency to Metra, as well as other Chicago transit agencies.
For those with short memories, former Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano committed suicide last year by stepping in front of a train after a probe into his financial misconduct at the agency. Franks thinks the mismanagement continues.
“Enough is enough,” said Franks. “Yet again, just like the Pagano tragedy, the Metra Board was asleep at the switch. If Metra spending over $1 million on Springfield and Washington lobbyists is not bad enough, its failure to properly report that activity certainly is.” The Federal Transit Administration restricted the use of federal funds in May 2010 due to misconduct under the former Metra executive director.
Metra has agreed to pay the federal government $90,000 in fines for neglecting to file disclosure reports required by federal lobbying law. Reports were not filed by the Carmen Group Inc., Metra’s previous Washington-based lobbying firm. As was widely reported, Pagano claimed that Carmen was assisting Metra in an ‘advisory’ capacity, the federal government disagreed. The Lobbying Disclosure Act requires that lobbyists submit quarterly reports specifying activities on behalf of clients.
Furthermore, in February, Blackman Kallick, an accounting firm that handles Metra’s finances, pointed out a lack of oversight in regards to the Carman Group. They claimed that “monthly invoices lacked sufficient detail to substantiate that contracted services were being performed.”
“Illinois taxpayers were fined $90,000 because Mr. Schaffer and the board did not do their job,” Franks continued. “As Treasurer, responsibilities for compliance fall upon Schaffer’s shoulders. The culture of incompetence and finger pointing within the Metra Board remains, despite claims to the contrary. Metra directors are supposed to be independent watchdogs appointed by their respective county board chairmen. Instead we have political cronies who allowed an executive director to loot the system and board members doing prison time for taking bribes.”
Following increasing public pressure, Carole Doris, the Metra Chairwoman, announced her resignation last week. Earlier Franks had exposed lavish expenses and questionable reimbursements for Doris’ travel, including taking limousines to $500 a night hotels.
“It is time for the entire Metra Board to go – Illinois citizens deserve better than this board’s arrogance and negligence. The taxpayers no longer have confidence in the current Metra directors. If they refuse to resign, the county boards’ should take appropriate action to remove them,” said Franks.
“It is time for the entire Metra Board to go – Illinois citizens deserve better than this board’s arrogance and negligence. The taxpayers no longer have confidence in the current Metra directors. If they refuse to resign, the county boards’ should take appropriate action to remove them,” said Franks.
Franks has introduced legislation to remove the salaries and benefits for all transit agency board members and to consolidate the Metra, Regional Transportation Authority, Pace Suburban Bus Service, and Chicago Transit Authority boards into a single agency.
Doris did the right thing by voluntarily exiting the train; the other Board members should follow before they are thrown off for not having a ticket.
The whole of the board was a lackey for Pagano.
ReplyDeleteHe ran Metra with an autocratic rule. Unfortunately, his view of the world was something from the 1970's or such. Evidently, it took pulling teeth to get Metra to accept credit cards (other major commuter rail agencies have been accepting them for years) as an example. And, even still, the credit cards are only accepted grudgingly, not at the customer's convienience (most stations and all conductors are not equipped to handle anything except cash).
Now for full disclosure, as a long-time and loyal Metra rider, I have to say that generally the trains run fine, are comfortable, relatively inexpensive and deliver you to your destination safely.
But you still have to wonder about a lot of the antiquated ways that the system is operated. Your use of the Thomas the Tank Engine image is a perfect analogy to Metra (ie, pompus director, trains running amok, etc, etc) ... that's no way to run a railroad ;-)
I wholehartedly agree with Jack Franks that the entire board should be replaced. I'd put in my resume for consideration! We need the ridership representated as a significant voice on the board.