2010 - Rod Blagojevich railroaded by oil-auto-sprawl interests

Both sides vowed to keep up the court fight after the jury found Blagojevich, 53, guilty on a lesser charge of making false statements to the FBI but could not reach a verdict on the remaining 23 counts including racketeering, bribery, and conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
The conviction carries a maximum prison term of five years, though the former governor is likely to serve a few months to a year in prison if nothing changes during the retrial of the case, a legal expert told ABC News.

https://abcnews.go.com/WN/rod-blagojevich-trial-guilty-24-counts-jury-deadlocks/story?id=11411037

In spite of heavy spin by ABC corporate media [above] the fact remains that Blagojevich was cleared of 23 out of 24 counts by the grand jury. At that time the penalty was 5 years. Later, since they couldn't get the courts to jail him, oil-auto-sprawl had the case referred to the assembly where he was quickly given 14 years. All this for winning free public transit for seniors.

"free fares will increase ridership" -- Twin Cities

“Free fares are important for several reasons — climate, equity, safety,” said Amity Foster, of the Twin Cities Transit Riders Union, a local advocacy group. “They’re a way for us to address our climate crisis; moving people out of their cars and onto public transit is essential and free fares will increase ridership.”

http://m.startribune.com/after-kansas-city-made-transit-free-what-about-the-twin-cities/566721742/ 

Candidate for Minnesota House calls for #freepublictransit

@SoniaNeculescu

Twin Cities Transit Riders call for fare-free #publictransit

@TCTRU

Kansas City considering fare-free #publictransit

..., Kansas City Area Transportation Authority buses are seldom packed. Even at rush hour, many are less than full, and some buses run almost completely empty in the middle of the day. But in downtown, thousands of residents and visitors each month gladly hop on and off the Kansas City Streetcar Authority’s Main Street streetcar line. Cost to ride the streetcar: zero. 

Put these facts together and it seems like it might be a good idea if public transit everywhere in Kansas City became free to use.

https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/kansas-city-considers-doing-away-with-transit-fares-citywide 

Kansas City, MO, transit agency wants to end fares

Free public transportation is a bold initiative, and the head of Kansas City's regional transit agency thinks it's viable for Kansas City.

https://www.kcur.org/post/head-kansas-city-s-bus-system-says-public-transportation-should-be-free#stream/0 

Polls consistently show that Americans want more #publictransit and are willing to pay taxes to get it

Almost six in 10 Minnesota voters are willing to pay higher taxes or user fees to support more spending on transit

https://finance-commerce.com/2018/10/minneapolis-chamber-poll-finds-support-for-transit-investment/ 

Indianapolis, better service means more riders

The city of Indianapolis is learning that beefed-up transit service quickly translates to more riders — with local transit agency IndyGo reporting this week that ridership was up 3.4 percent this August compared to the previous year.

streetsblog

Chicago students should have #freetransit

chicagotribune On Sept. 4, about 370,000 Chicago Public Schools students will navigate our city streets, many using public transportation, to the first day of school. For these students, this is the only day of the year that their transportation fees will be free — unlike many students in other schools across the state whose transportation is provided for the entire school year.

Pro-growth argument for more #publictransit

chicagotribune Sadly, Illinois state government has — unlike other states like Indiana or Texas that are investing more — cut mass transit funding by hundreds of millions. Mass transit grows the private-sector economy in studies showing $4 in returns for each public $1 invested. Every workday, one-sixth of Illinois’ population, over 2 million riders, take mass transit to work, school, doctor visits or for leisure.
Nationally in the past two election cycles, nearly 70 percent of all mass transit referendums to expand or improve service passed. Where transit goes, the economy grows.