HR0650 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0650 LRB094 14383 AJO 49314 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, A viable, comprehensive, and coordinated system of mass transit is vital for the quality of life and future development of the northeastern region of the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The region is served by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), Metra, and Pace, with financial oversight by the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA); and

WHEREAS, The CTA, Metra, and Pace carry over 500,000,000 riders each year; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly passed a $54.3 million appropriation to the RTA to provide, for the first time, paratransit services pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); and

WHEREAS, All public entities have a responsibility to manage public funds with the highest level of efficiency and to eliminate waste and mismanagement; and

WHEREAS, The federal SAFETEA-LU capital spending bill (Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users) contains funding for many expansions of service, including Metra's STAR Line and Pace's J line Bus Rapid Transit, and this federal funding will require a local match; and

WHEREAS, The General Assembly will have to consider the merits of these transportation expansion projects and determine the appropriation of State funds towards the most beneficial and effective projects; and

WHEREAS, The office of the Auditor General of Illinois is highly respected throughout Illinois for the thoroughness, fairness, and non-partisan manner in which it conducts audits of governmental agencies; and

WHEREAS, The Auditor General is recognized as an authority upon whom the General Assembly can rely for audits that provide information that is beneficial during legislative deliberations about budgets, appropriations, efficiency of programs, and budget savings achievable through improved management; and

WHEREAS, There is already an audit underway for the CTA pursuant to House Resolution 479; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the members of the House of Representatives direct the Auditor General to immediately conduct financial, compliance, and performance audits of the RTA, Metra, and Pace including, without limitation, their operations, pensions, capital programs, and identifiable areas where redundant operations between RTA, Metra, and Pace and the CTA may be eliminated; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Auditor General address, in these audit reports, the extent to which the RTA, Metra, and Pace are adversely affected by mismanagement or inefficiencies and that if mismanagement or inefficiencies were corrected, to what extent the improvements would result in budget savings for the agencies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Auditor General's audit reports concerning RTA, Metra, and Pace be submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Auditor General, the Legislative Audit Commission, the Regional Transportation Authority, Metra, and Pace.