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CTA committee backs $64M operating amendment and $24.85M capital additions, places items on omnibus
Summary
The CTA Finance, Audit & Budget Committee reviewed and placed on the board omnibus an amended 2026 operating budget adding roughly $64.1 million in new public funding for rider-focused investments and a $24,849,020 amendment to the 2026–2030 capital improvement program that includes federal formula increases and earmarks for station and track projects.
The Finance, Audit & Budget Committee reviewed two budget amendments on June 10 and recommended they be placed on the board omnibus for approval.
Tom McCome told directors the operating budget amendment would add about $64.05 million in public funding to CTA’s 2026 operating budget. The funding source was identified as new revenue made available under the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act and regional allocations from the RTA; the amendment is intended to fund rider-focused investments including safety and security, service improvements, bus service expansion and enhanced cleaning, and to address timing-related cash-flow issues tied to the new revenue streams.
Separately, CTA proposed a $24,849,020 addition to the five-year capital improvement program (2026–2030). The increase includes a $16.4 million adjustment to final federal formula amounts allocated by the RTA (primarily to support the railcar replacement program); multiple congressional community-project allocations (earmarks) including funds for station and bus-turnaround improvements, a $900,000 Section 5310 award for real-time digital station customer enhancements, and $256,277 in local-match funds for an Englewood Green Line Station feasibility study. Staff provided a line-item list of earmarks presented for recognition in the capital program.
Directors discussed equitable transit-oriented development funding and regional allocation timing; staff said the larger regional allocation of interest-on-road-fund proceeds (roughly $180 million per year regionwide) has not yet been apportioned and that conversation will continue at the regional level. Committee members had no further questions and moved both items to the omnibus for board approval; the omnibus later passed the full board in a roll-call vote.
The committee also reviewed a natural gas procurement authorization, an easement agreement for utility relocation on the Red Line Extension, landmark-district consent for a CTA property, a property insurance renewal, and nine contract awards; those items were also placed on the omnibus.
Next procedural steps: the omnibus was approved by the full board later in the meeting; staff will incorporate the amended operating and capital budgets into CTA’s ongoing financial reporting upon board adoption.
