Last week, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle released the county budget for fiscal year 2016. While this may not sound terribly exciting, this particular budget holds the keys to building a strong and resilient Cook County. Although there has been much concern about proposed tax increases, this budget actually presents an opportunity to relieve the cost-of-living burden on Cook County families. As she has stated in the past, President Preckwinkle’s bold plan to prioritize the... Read the rest of this entry »

The Chicago area is now home to a new peer-to-peer carsharing service. CNT is spearheading an innovative two-year study in Chicago, in partnership with the Shared Use Mobility Center, and carsharing operator Getaround. Often called “Airbnb for cars,” peer-to-peer carsharing allows car owners to rent their vehicles to others when not in use via an online reservation platform. Since the average car sits unused more than 90% of the time, according to a 2011 Transportation Research Board (... Read the rest of this entry »

Growth around our transit system, commonly known as transit-oriented development (TOD), generates its biggest benefits when it includes all households and all neighborhoods. It gives residents choices for how to get around, particularly to jobs, and connects them to economic opportunity. It lowers the cost of living by making it easier for households of all incomes to live with fewer cars. It’s good for the climate with fewer cars on the road. And when it includes all types of households, it... Read the rest of this entry »

A recent Texas A&M study on traffic congestion misses the point. According to the report's findings, Chicago-area commuters lose 61 hours every year due to delays costing $1,445 annually for wasted fuel and time.  Yet we should be able to live in convenient places closer to our jobs and amenities, rather than always expect a road will take us there without delay.  Sixty-one hours a year boils down to 7.3 minutes of delay per trip. Two-thirds of area commuters get to work in... Read the rest of this entry »

A recent article in the Chicago Tribune’s Red Eye, a publication geared toward young commuters, reported on a study from personal finance site WalletHub that called Chicago one of the worst cities for drivers. After noting the many obstacles Chicagoland drivers face, including congestion, city fees, and volatile weather, the article delivers the somewhat bleak conclusion that at least “some of us can avoid it by riding the CTA or a bike.” It’s clear from this article that car ownership comes... Read the rest of this entry »

The Cook County Board took an important first step in funding transit when it recently approved a one percent sales tax increase recently to shore up a growing pension deficit. This will bring to an end a longtime misallocation of motor fuel tax dollars in order to fund public transit and aging infrastructure.   The Center for Neighborhood Technology and our partners at the Active Transportation Alliance, leaders of the Transit Future campaign, met with Board President Toni... Read the rest of this entry »

It’s no secret that Cook County’s finances are seriously challenged. As the region debates solutions, now is a time for our leaders to make a bold statement and seize a great opportunity to invest in the Chicago region’s future while addressing the problems of the past.  Right now, as you are reading this, Cook County Commissioners are struggling mightily with a proposal for a one percent sales tax increase that would primarily fund pensions, but it would also open the door for other... Read the rest of this entry »

The past few weeks have proven to be a pivotal few for the Transit Future campaign and, indeed, for the future of transit in Cook County.  On the evening of June 18th, Congressman Mike Quigley joined us in Chicago to show his support for transit expansion, addressing a room full of elected officials, business leaders, and other Transit Future supporters.  Quigley, who serves on the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriation committee, shared... Read the rest of this entry »

The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) applauds the U.S. Supreme Court for upholding disparate impact liability in the case of Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project. The Court ruled that the Fair Housing Act prohibits policies that adversely affect minority groups and reinforce segregation, even when such outcomes are an unintended consequence. At the center of the case was whether Low-Income Housing Tax Credits should be allocated to the... Read the rest of this entry »

CNT applauds the U.S. Supreme Court for upholding disparate impact liability in the case of Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. Inclusive Communities Project. The Court ruled that the Fair Housing Act prohibits policies that adversely affect minority groups and reinforce segregation, even when those actions are not a stated goal. “At the center of the case was whether Low-Income Housing Tax Credits should be allocated to the inner city or in the suburbs,” CNT’s president and... Read the rest of this entry »