The Chicago Transit Authority last year said it would spend $2 million to install new L station gates that would make it harder for fare jumpers to board trains without paying.
Fair enough. But while the cash-strapped CTA wants commuters to fork over what is owed, it should be equally diligent in getting its hands on the $1.37 million in back rent — the equivalent of more than 600,000 one-way trips — and $15 million in late fees developer Scott Goodman owes the agency.
The Sun-Times Watchdogs reported last week that Goodman's Sterling Racine LLC rung up the debt by failing to pay rent on two floors it leased in a CTA building at 120 N. Racine Ave.
Goodman originally owed $1.97 million in rent, but paid the amount down a bit after Chicago Sun-Times reporters asked about the delinquent payments.
In addition, Goodman owes Cook County $1 million in property tax on the space — an amount due in the form of a leasehold tax he's required to pay because he rents from the CTA, a tax-exempt agency.
The kicker: Even with substantial back amounts owed, the CTA last August approved a deal allowing Goodman to sublease some of the Racine space to Democratic National Convention officials.
Meanwhile, a Democratic National Committee spokesperson says it has paid Goodman $677,917 in rent since the lease began last September and is up to date on what it owes.
The CTA told the Sun-Times Goodman's arrearage is "unacceptable and has demanded that Sterling Racine resolve the $1.37 million in outstanding delinquent rental and operational payments owed no later than end of month August 2024."
And yet that didn't stop the agency from reworking a separate, $158 million deal with Goodman's Sterling Racine to build a CTA training and control center to replace — of all places — the building at 120 N. Racine Ave.
To our eyes, that the CTA wasn't astute enough to hold out on the deal until it collected the rent Goodman owes only further proves that a full-on leadership change at the agency is needed.
Goodman said he will pay what he owes and blames the the delinquency on the economic downturn caused by COVID.
Goodman should square up with the CTA, and soon. Besides, it isn't as if he doesn't have the money. During the time he rebuffed the CTA's attempts to collect the rent on Racine, two other Goodman-owned companies shelled out $44.5 million to buy two other buildings.
The CTA should indeed put a stop to fare jumpers. And rent skippers as well.
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