Blog Debate: Should the CTA President Get a Pass on Driving to Work?
UPDATES 7/21/09:
--Read a wonderful Sun-Times editorial from Tuesday chastising CTA President Richard Rodriguez for driving to work.
--Read CTA Tattler's rebuttal, saying "family values" make it OK for Chicago's top transit honcho to drive to work.
Yesterday on Chicago Carless, I published a video post calling out Chicago Transit Authority president Richard Rodriguez for his recent decision to continue driving to work every day to his top job at the nation's second-largest public transportation agency. He refuses to commute by CTA bus or 'L' in order to have more time with his kids in the morning. And the Windy City's top transit blog, CTA Tattler, is defending Rodriguez's decision.
On Tuesday morning, the Sun-Times reported that Rodriguez had cancelled a longstanding company car perq for senior managers--but intended to lease a car back from the CTA at a discount rate in order to continue his auto commute. On my blog, I noted that family pressures or not, the head of a city's transit agency needs to hold himself to at least as high a standard as his riders--many of whom would like to be able to avoid transit and see their kids before work, too.
(Video: The original, sternly opinionated video gripe about the CTA president driving to work as posted on Chicago Carless.)
That post is currently trending on Windy Citizen and received several re-tweets and favorable responses on Twitter, including these:
@chicagocarless Great post! I'm glad you read between the lines on that.
(ChiTownDaily Jul 20th)
I agree with @ChiTownDaily. Great post from @chicagocarless On Why CTA President Shouldn't Be Driving to Work http://bit.ly/q9rBq
(lindsaybanks Jul 20th)
@chicagocarless FABULOUSLY DONE love it. How they can spit on what could be their best marketing and product quality control I dunno
(valkyrierisen Jul 20th)
In a dissenting opinion posted in my comment thread, fellow blogger Kevin O'Neil, editor of CTA Tattler, takes a different perspective. O'Neil feels that family needs should come first no matter what job a person has. In my comment thread he notes:
"What makes you think that he thinks he's more important than them? I think he's doing what he thinks is best for him and his family. And he should. Let's fact it. The guy no doubt works more than the 40 hours a week that the average guy does. So he doesn't always see his kids at night at home. He sees them in the morning and gets some quality time with them in the car. So why begrudge him that?"
What do you think? Is there ever a reason that the president of the Chicago Transit Authority should get a (pardon the pun) pass on driving to work--and avoiding the rush-hour commute that 1.5 million of his agency's riders must face every working day?
See my post on Carless, browse the comment thread, and leave your own thoughts there--or right here on Chicagosphere.
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3 Comments
lawguy60606 said:
It would be interesting to know how the CTA reports the use of a company car for tax purposes. Technially, any personal use (including commuting) of a company car will yield taxable income to the employee. The discounted lease is also likely a taxable event.
http://www.chicagolawblogger.com
Megan Cottrell said:
It's more important to me that Rodriguez balances the CTA's budget and finds away to deal with their shortfalls in cash that doesn't involve fare hikes. I don't care if he rides the Wienermobile to work as long as the fares don't go up again. I can barely afford the $2.25 each way it costs now.
And I think there's something to be said for him wanting to be a good father.
I think the whole thing is ironic, but I don't really mind. Interesting posts though!
Mike Doyle said:
See a similar take on the municipal epidemic of official workers given car perqs at the Chicago Reader, here.
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