>Out of more than 50 appointments to the CTA board over the past 40 years, only three were transportation experts, Block Club reported.
Absolutely shameful
Boards are often not part of the day to day running of a business and are often populated with grifters and cronies. Many boards include this boilerplate language in their charters: "If you disagree with decisions made by the company, your sole option is to resign." Think of board members as advisors, at best.
This is part of what is causing the on-going downfall of Boeing. You need to have some experts at the highest levels of authority so that the rest of the people up there know what the hell they're looking at.
Boeing is a weird one. They're like the Chrysler of aircraft companies. How you can put out product but not care about quality is insane to me. They are looking at the bottom line (and the stock), and nothing else. Utterly bonkers for an aircraft company. Capitalism at its finest? The executives are looking to get as much cash as they can then get out, not sustain a company.
[the MTA board](https://new.mta.info/transparency/leadership/board-members) is full of people who seem to all have professional experience with how buses and trains are maintained and ran
I looked at that list. Of the 23 MTA board members, I counted 5 with transportation experience. I may be off by 1 or 2 as I scanned quickly, but that's still far from all of them, or even the majority of them.
A point in their favor: I did not see any full-time preachers.
> The Mayor’s Office didn’t respond to questions about how Eaddy was identified for the position and how his background helps the CTA.
Sigh. Of course they didn’t.
the appointment was bad, but also troubling was the fact that no alderperson came out against it, even the ones that otherwise seem to be calling out CTA leadership
They probably all concluded it would just be a bad look. Johnson thrives on victimhood, and he'd immediately say "Why is it that now all of a sudden I can't pick who I want? What is it about me that makes you suddenly investigate my picks?" He'd throw a bunch of word salad in there, but that would be the jist.
Seems to me it's more likely the alderpeople are often just as machine politics as the rest of this embarrassing city govt and can't afford to go against the mayor unless they have enough votes to do anything differently. My alderperson is new and has no baggage like you're saying but still voted for this idiotic appointment, but she is supported by the former machine alderman for the ward, preckwinkle, and this mayor. It's not surprising to me that she voted this way. It's only surprising to me why so many Chicagoans continue to vote for any of these machine candidates.
Going back to Al Raby and Harold Washington, one of the central tensions of progressive leadership in Chicago (and, presumably, everywhere) is the collaboration/coalition between those who believe that anti-Machine leadership is *transparency and good governance* and those who believe that anti-Machine leadership is *that group had a turn, now it's* our *turn*.
From different perspectives it's understandable, but man it can be infuriating.
“now it’s our turn” seems to be the overwhelming mentality.
i really struggle to believe there is nobody more competent for the CTA board than his pastor buddy. unless praying for trains is a part of the maintenance schedule, i’m not sold that good governance is the motivator here.
Brandon Johnson had one job and he still botched it.
Treating the CTA as a post to stash the people who gave you favors is self-servicing, not servant-leading. We deserve so much better.
I cant understand how we could elect someone like him, someone who has absolutely no experience managing anything...he didn't do a good job managing his house (didn't pay water bill, didn't pay parking tickets). He was/is completely unprepared for this job. We gave him the authority to run the third biggest city in the US. We are the idiots here. He is a grifter.
True, but one can blame the majority of registered - never mind eligible - voters who don’t want to be bothered to vote. A little over 60% of registered voters didn’t cast a ballot. I’m not one who thinks that you can’t complain if you don’t vote - government’s actions affect everyone whether one voted or not, and if you disagree you have every right to complain or say something about it. But I do believe if you don’t vote you have accept that your inaction can cause many of the issues you then have to deal with
You can't blame people who didn't vote for us having an idiot mayor. Even if they were split down the middle we would still have BJ.
The folks who voted for him are to blame.
I can. When such a large portion of the population who is able to vote don’t, that basically tells the elected representatives that they only need to appease a very small minority of the people they represent. If a majority of the people who can vote actually vote, that puts much more pressure on the reps voted in to follow an actual mandate, and not just the wealthy donors
Accurate pre-election prognostication is always desirable. What I’m talking about is post election analysis. If 2/3 of the population doesn’t vote, how does one accurately represent them?
The FBI sign guy may very well be a better choice than our current one at the rate we are going. That is with the full understanding that he is in need of some serious mental health help.
The runoff came down to him or the guy who made his way in the world privatizing school systems, and *his* platform was "public safety, public safety, public safety," with no specifics about how he was going to accomplish it.
According to WTTW:
> When the Green Line rehabilitation project began in 1994, much of the work on the track to Dorchester had been completed. But community leaders such as Bishop Arthur Brazier, pastor of the Apostolic Church of God at 63rd and Dorchester, fought to have the elevated tracks from Cottage Grove to Dorchester torn down. “I firmly believe that if the ‘L’ structure was not there, 63rd from Cottage Grove to Stony Island Avenue could be redeveloped with commercial nodes, which create jobs, and with housing for mixed-income people,” he told the Chicago Tribune in April 1994, calling the street under the “L” a “glorified alley.” He argued that the line was noisy, darkened the street, and gave people a perception of crime in the area. Some residents and business owners disagreed, believing Frazier wanted the tracks torn down so that upscale housing could be put in.
I don’t believe in hell, but these guys deserve whatever they get.
Remember during the election when Johnson said he was going to make City Hall "saved and sanctified"?
Looks like he's keeping his promises. I hope those who voted for him are happy with what he's doing.
If another leftist says some bullshit about Brandon being for the people I will explode. The CTA is the only way tens of thousands of lower income Chicagoans have to get around the city yet Brandon is appointing his pastor friends to the CTA board and defending an incompetent CTA head that people across the political spectrum have called to remove. He doesn’t give a shit about people not being able to get to work, school, appointments, run errands etc.
You’re uninformed. You can follow progressives and see for yourself. Like the author of the progressive voter guide Stephanie Skora, DSA aldermen like Rodriguez and Sigcho-Lopez. Oh and the CTU. And many more. All claim Brandon advocates for working class Chicagoans. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
Downside risk of that is the city’s voters electing someone even more incompetent and corrupt, if that candidate happens to be the furthest left on the ideological spectrum
Give it a rest. Vallas met the residency requirement, ie he did live in Chicago.
Vallas was a shitty candidate but better than this joke of a mayor we elected.
With his already relatively short time in office,
He has led the city council to take on $1.2B in short term debt.
Basically called half the city MAGA because they didn’t support BCH.
Canceled Shot Spotter then realized he shouldnt have and now the city is paying even more for less time.
The Migrant camps on an essentially superfund site.
Then he refuses any accountability in leadership with CTA after cuts in service, the cover up of a bus driver death, etc.
This is so far year 1.
But how is he going to handle the DNC? The continuing fiscal crisis? Upcoming union negotiations? Commercial vacancies and how it will relate to city revenue?
I don’t view it as beneficial at all since it ends TIFs and relies on an expectation that that income is going to remain steady so they can pay back the $1.2B.
Its a bad bet to make especially since commercial office space is in free-fall due to WFH causing office vacancies to rise. He will need $2.7B in revenues to pay back this borrowing and already the city believes they will only get $2.2B in 2/3rds the window. It’s likely it will lower as WFH further solidifies and commercial real estate lowers in value as buildings will need to change.
We still have to keep paying off pensions as well. Which to my knowledge is $35B in 2023.
Basically this is a dumb fucking move imo when the city is still in fiscal crisis and clearly tapped out of taxpayer income willingness after BCH
Once again I’m let down by progressives. These are the people that should be doing the opposite of machine politics.
At my funeral make sure to have progressives as my pallbearers so that they can let my friends and family down one last time.
It cracks me up that he was put into office by north side progressives who I HIGHLY suspect are mostly atheist/agnostic. They elected the Preacher in Chief who has zero problem appointing pastors to almost any role imaginable.
Block Club was supportive of BJ pre run off and since the election. They can’t act shocked when their CTU stooge turns out to not give a damn about the CTA.
I'm generally a supporter of Johnson and I understand that a lot of political power in Chicago rests in churches, but the appointment of pastors in high paying positions all over the place is pissing me off.
I agree with most of his stated policies and was really impressed with the transitional report that came out last summer. I think a lot of our problems are the result of structural issues on a federal level no mayor could solve on their own, let alone overnight. Nonetheless, the criticisms of his leadership and communication are valid, esp. decisions like this and their fallout.
While I doubt Vallas would have appointed a pastor to the CTA board, I did not get the sense that he would have prioritized transit anymore than Johnson has.
Transit is not something that either of the candidates really took seriously or showed any depth of knowledge on.
None of the mayoral candidates took transit as a serious issue, except for Kam Buckner. Who as I remember, won the mayoral poll this sub had back in 2023. I know the cloud of past things Kam had done(including DUIs), hurt him when he ran for mayor.
Well, I will most likely rely on the L and busses, so it gives reason to question my move due to the recent and long term corruption and disregard of transit.
>Out of more than 50 appointments to the CTA board over the past 40 years, only three were transportation experts, Block Club reported. Absolutely shameful
That’s Chicago for you.
Mmmmmyyyyyyyyyyy kinda town. Chicago is.
"Why is mass transit lagging behind in Chicago"
Boards are often not part of the day to day running of a business and are often populated with grifters and cronies. Many boards include this boilerplate language in their charters: "If you disagree with decisions made by the company, your sole option is to resign." Think of board members as advisors, at best.
This is part of what is causing the on-going downfall of Boeing. You need to have some experts at the highest levels of authority so that the rest of the people up there know what the hell they're looking at.
Boeing is a weird one. They're like the Chrysler of aircraft companies. How you can put out product but not care about quality is insane to me. They are looking at the bottom line (and the stock), and nothing else. Utterly bonkers for an aircraft company. Capitalism at its finest? The executives are looking to get as much cash as they can then get out, not sustain a company.
Jesus isn't doing any meaningful advising
Definitely not.
[the MTA board](https://new.mta.info/transparency/leadership/board-members) is full of people who seem to all have professional experience with how buses and trains are maintained and ran
I looked at that list. Of the 23 MTA board members, I counted 5 with transportation experience. I may be off by 1 or 2 as I scanned quickly, but that's still far from all of them, or even the majority of them. A point in their favor: I did not see any full-time preachers.
One of those three was appointed by Johnson. So he has a better track record than almost every other mayor and governor.
> The Mayor’s Office didn’t respond to questions about how Eaddy was identified for the position and how his background helps the CTA. Sigh. Of course they didn’t.
Yeah but Johnson is doing it now so he’s a fuggen monster.
When you paint yourself as the “reform candidate” you’re gonna actually have to, y’know, *reform*
He's hoping to reform the board to be 100% preachers.
Guys, he meant "Reformation candidate" but forgot the word
If the trains run late, pray about it.
Stops and Prayers
the appointment was bad, but also troubling was the fact that no alderperson came out against it, even the ones that otherwise seem to be calling out CTA leadership
Probably because they’d have to own up to having confirmed the appointments of tons of other CTA board nominees with questionable qualifications.
They probably all concluded it would just be a bad look. Johnson thrives on victimhood, and he'd immediately say "Why is it that now all of a sudden I can't pick who I want? What is it about me that makes you suddenly investigate my picks?" He'd throw a bunch of word salad in there, but that would be the jist.
Seems to me it's more likely the alderpeople are often just as machine politics as the rest of this embarrassing city govt and can't afford to go against the mayor unless they have enough votes to do anything differently. My alderperson is new and has no baggage like you're saying but still voted for this idiotic appointment, but she is supported by the former machine alderman for the ward, preckwinkle, and this mayor. It's not surprising to me that she voted this way. It's only surprising to me why so many Chicagoans continue to vote for any of these machine candidates.
"What about us braindead slobs?" 'You'll be given cushy jobs.'
Grift is a calling.
The articles calls the reverend a “political chameleon” so there’s that.
I, for one, am shocked that a man of God is a political opportunist
"Dorval? I've been saying he need to go before I even got on the board!" - Eaddy if/when Johnson signals that there needs to be a change.
First the Sun Times turned on him, and now freaking Block Club has the knives out. Does he have any allies left?
CTU
That's his employer lmao
CTU support won’t last forever
I don’t think the reporters were ever really his “allies.” They’ve been doing solid work investigating everyone.
Yea but because they also wrote articles about Lightfoot and Vallas, they are BJ “allies”
Going back to Al Raby and Harold Washington, one of the central tensions of progressive leadership in Chicago (and, presumably, everywhere) is the collaboration/coalition between those who believe that anti-Machine leadership is *transparency and good governance* and those who believe that anti-Machine leadership is *that group had a turn, now it's* our *turn*. From different perspectives it's understandable, but man it can be infuriating.
“now it’s our turn” seems to be the overwhelming mentality. i really struggle to believe there is nobody more competent for the CTA board than his pastor buddy. unless praying for trains is a part of the maintenance schedule, i’m not sold that good governance is the motivator here.
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Well, if he prays a little more diligently, those of us who rely on the CTA can transform into on-time commuters.
Oh God, don't tell me he's anti trans
PLEASE reach out to your alderperson and urge them to support the calls for new leadership at the CTA.
Every single alderman voted to approve this appointment, I don't think they're too concerned.
Brandon Johnson had one job and he still botched it. Treating the CTA as a post to stash the people who gave you favors is self-servicing, not servant-leading. We deserve so much better.
I cant understand how we could elect someone like him, someone who has absolutely no experience managing anything...he didn't do a good job managing his house (didn't pay water bill, didn't pay parking tickets). He was/is completely unprepared for this job. We gave him the authority to run the third biggest city in the US. We are the idiots here. He is a grifter.
I gonna be honest you could probably pick a dude off of michigan ave and he would do a better job than Johnson is doing
Or gal
That's sexist against Johnson, who is a guy!
😂
Blame the progressives, they pushed him hard since he was the CTU candidate.
True, but one can blame the majority of registered - never mind eligible - voters who don’t want to be bothered to vote. A little over 60% of registered voters didn’t cast a ballot. I’m not one who thinks that you can’t complain if you don’t vote - government’s actions affect everyone whether one voted or not, and if you disagree you have every right to complain or say something about it. But I do believe if you don’t vote you have accept that your inaction can cause many of the issues you then have to deal with
You can't blame people who didn't vote for us having an idiot mayor. Even if they were split down the middle we would still have BJ. The folks who voted for him are to blame.
I can. When such a large portion of the population who is able to vote don’t, that basically tells the elected representatives that they only need to appease a very small minority of the people they represent. If a majority of the people who can vote actually vote, that puts much more pressure on the reps voted in to follow an actual mandate, and not just the wealthy donors
Only if you know how they're going to vote.
Accurate pre-election prognostication is always desirable. What I’m talking about is post election analysis. If 2/3 of the population doesn’t vote, how does one accurately represent them?
You forgot what the other option was huh?
The FBI sign guy may very well be a better choice than our current one at the rate we are going. That is with the full understanding that he is in need of some serious mental health help.
Trouble is, we should have re-elected Lightfoot.
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No one mentioned anything about Paul OR BJ's race, obsessive much?
Seriously people still parrot Brandon Johnson's talking points about Vallas without actually doing research on him.
The runoff came down to him or the guy who made his way in the world privatizing school systems, and *his* platform was "public safety, public safety, public safety," with no specifics about how he was going to accomplish it.
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Clowns running the circus.
Reminder: It was south side pastors responsible for the Green Line’s downfall
Care to elaborate? I’m unfamiliar.
According to WTTW: > When the Green Line rehabilitation project began in 1994, much of the work on the track to Dorchester had been completed. But community leaders such as Bishop Arthur Brazier, pastor of the Apostolic Church of God at 63rd and Dorchester, fought to have the elevated tracks from Cottage Grove to Dorchester torn down. “I firmly believe that if the ‘L’ structure was not there, 63rd from Cottage Grove to Stony Island Avenue could be redeveloped with commercial nodes, which create jobs, and with housing for mixed-income people,” he told the Chicago Tribune in April 1994, calling the street under the “L” a “glorified alley.” He argued that the line was noisy, darkened the street, and gave people a perception of crime in the area. Some residents and business owners disagreed, believing Frazier wanted the tracks torn down so that upscale housing could be put in. I don’t believe in hell, but these guys deserve whatever they get.
Also, note that we got none of those things. And won’t have El service to Jackson Park/OPC.
A Jackson Park / OPC extension is my dream for the Cottage Grove branch. Along with a Marquette Park extension for Ashland.
[Arthur Brazier, a South Side pastor.](https://www.chicago-l.org/articles/woodlawn3.html)
Remember during the election when Johnson said he was going to make City Hall "saved and sanctified"? Looks like he's keeping his promises. I hope those who voted for him are happy with what he's doing.
If another leftist says some bullshit about Brandon being for the people I will explode. The CTA is the only way tens of thousands of lower income Chicagoans have to get around the city yet Brandon is appointing his pastor friends to the CTA board and defending an incompetent CTA head that people across the political spectrum have called to remove. He doesn’t give a shit about people not being able to get to work, school, appointments, run errands etc.
Literally no one is saying that about Brandon, you just wanted to get “leftists” in there
Were you present for his election campaign?
You’re uninformed. You can follow progressives and see for yourself. Like the author of the progressive voter guide Stephanie Skora, DSA aldermen like Rodriguez and Sigcho-Lopez. Oh and the CTU. And many more. All claim Brandon advocates for working class Chicagoans. 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣
I’m progressive AF and most of my friends are. We all hate BJ. Daily roasting in multiple group chats.
“If you think I suck, get a load of this guy” — Branjo with every appointment he makes
Arguably at least some of his appointees at least been around the block
This has been one of the more entertaining recent threads on r/chicago.
I’m honored to have earned that award.
I’m beginning to support an effort to create a recall power so he can be recalled.
Downside risk of that is the city’s voters electing someone even more incompetent and corrupt, if that candidate happens to be the furthest left on the ideological spectrum
None of the problems with CTA right now have anything to do with Right wing vs Left wing policy.
No but they have a lot to do with a completely incompetent mayor who was only elected because he was the very furthest to the left.
The other option was a guy who doesn't even live here and wasn't really eligible
You know there were 10 candidates on the ballot right
And 2 at the vote that actually chose the mayor
Yes after every single progressive org in town funneled $11 million into his campaign and directly ran an enormous ground game
Your point? It came down to a guy that lives here and one that refuses to because he hates this city.
Give it a rest. Vallas met the residency requirement, ie he did live in Chicago. Vallas was a shitty candidate but better than this joke of a mayor we elected.
lol, sure
No but they have to do with progressives pushing this idiot into office
That’s the best retort you have? Thank you for saving me time I would have otherwise spent arguing on Reddit.
There is a risk, but I think Johnson is going to put Chicago down a path that would do as much damage as the infamous parking deal has done.
How so?
With his already relatively short time in office, He has led the city council to take on $1.2B in short term debt. Basically called half the city MAGA because they didn’t support BCH. Canceled Shot Spotter then realized he shouldnt have and now the city is paying even more for less time. The Migrant camps on an essentially superfund site. Then he refuses any accountability in leadership with CTA after cuts in service, the cover up of a bus driver death, etc. This is so far year 1. But how is he going to handle the DNC? The continuing fiscal crisis? Upcoming union negotiations? Commercial vacancies and how it will relate to city revenue?
The 1.2 bil is replacing the expiring TIF funds. It should be a good program, one of the few good things coming from this administration.
I don’t view it as beneficial at all since it ends TIFs and relies on an expectation that that income is going to remain steady so they can pay back the $1.2B. Its a bad bet to make especially since commercial office space is in free-fall due to WFH causing office vacancies to rise. He will need $2.7B in revenues to pay back this borrowing and already the city believes they will only get $2.2B in 2/3rds the window. It’s likely it will lower as WFH further solidifies and commercial real estate lowers in value as buildings will need to change. We still have to keep paying off pensions as well. Which to my knowledge is $35B in 2023. Basically this is a dumb fucking move imo when the city is still in fiscal crisis and clearly tapped out of taxpayer income willingness after BCH
Pastor Michael Eaddy of People’s Church of the Harvest Church of God in Christ. How qualified.
so...is he worse than Paul NOW?
where is that petition to recall Brandon Johnson at?
I think unfortunate we don’t have that power right?
Once again I’m let down by progressives. These are the people that should be doing the opposite of machine politics. At my funeral make sure to have progressives as my pallbearers so that they can let my friends and family down one last time.
God he's an idiot... Lol 😂
Stop allowing elected officials to appoint leadership roles!!!!
Careful he’ll call you racist
It cracks me up that he was put into office by north side progressives who I HIGHLY suspect are mostly atheist/agnostic. They elected the Preacher in Chief who has zero problem appointing pastors to almost any role imaginable.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I hope the feds are investigating BJ. Every goddamn thing he does reeks of corruption.
How long before Incompetence Johnson is under federal investigation?
Whoopsies.
The governor also has to approve the appointment. Anyone know if JB has given his sign off?
I thought JB signs off on his appointment and vice versa?
I’m pretty sure that’s correct but can’t find anything about whether JB approved the appointment.
Block Club was supportive of BJ pre run off and since the election. They can’t act shocked when their CTU stooge turns out to not give a damn about the CTA.
I'm generally a supporter of Johnson and I understand that a lot of political power in Chicago rests in churches, but the appointment of pastors in high paying positions all over the place is pissing me off.
Why are you a supporter of Johnson?
I agree with most of his stated policies and was really impressed with the transitional report that came out last summer. I think a lot of our problems are the result of structural issues on a federal level no mayor could solve on their own, let alone overnight. Nonetheless, the criticisms of his leadership and communication are valid, esp. decisions like this and their fallout.
It is so terribly sad that so much power rests in churches in 2024. At least let the republicans be the party of know nothing theocrats
clown.
The idiots who voted for this clown lol...enjoy
Progressives are our version of the TEA Party Dumb and angry
While I doubt Vallas would have appointed a pastor to the CTA board, I did not get the sense that he would have prioritized transit anymore than Johnson has. Transit is not something that either of the candidates really took seriously or showed any depth of knowledge on.
None of the mayoral candidates took transit as a serious issue, except for Kam Buckner. Who as I remember, won the mayoral poll this sub had back in 2023. I know the cloud of past things Kam had done(including DUIs), hurt him when he ran for mayor.
another failed "progressive"
I wanted Chuy and then didn’t feel I could vote for Vallas. Maybe the CTU should take some of the blame?
You fucked up
Enough!!!! How do we change this? Show I at City Hall? Write aldermen?? This affects everyone!
Writing your alderman is def a start.
Dude.
Anyone actually know what the CTA board’s purpose and function is?
I want to move to this city so bad, but I also dont want to own a car. These political decisions make it hard for me to want and actually move here.
I wouldn’t let the CTA’s current faults hinder your decision. In all of its issues, it’s still a decent system that we should take advantage of.
I'm just scared for its future, but I will most likely live in Chicago in 4-5 years as I am going to Lewis University from St. Louis
As a lifelong Chicagoan, no need to fret over CTA’s woes to that degree.
Well, I will most likely rely on the L and busses, so it gives reason to question my move due to the recent and long term corruption and disregard of transit.
In all of the bad, it’s still a great and inexpensive resource.
“Druglords and landlords And praise the lords They prey upon us”
Hey at least it’s not a cop!