Lawmakers may approve a statewide delivery tax on Doordash and Uber Eats to fund Chicago transit, hitting all Illinoisans who shop online, even those who don’t use CTA, Metra or Pace.
Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch says a controversial charge on DoorDash and Uber Eats deliveries could still be used to help fund Chicago’s mass transit system.
Though he clarified it wouldn’t be as high as the initial proposal of $1.50, he would not eliminate it as a possibility.
That means a delivery tax is still in play as lawmakers try to cover a financial hole at the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees CTA, Metra and Pace.
RTA is facing a $230 million shortfall in 2025, climbing to $790 million in 2027 and nearly $890 million by 2028 as federal COVID aid dries up and ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels.
The proposed delivery tax, along with other proposals, has drawn criticism from some Republicans.
“This has become a bailout for Chicago CTA,” said state Sen. Seth Lewis, R- Bartlett. “We’re giving the mayor more control. We’re giving him more than a billion dollars in revenue.”
A delivery tax wouldn’t just affect people in the Chicago region who rely on public transit. It would hit every Illinoisan who shops online, including those who may never use CTA, Metra or Pace services. Whether the final amount is $1, 50 cents or a quarter, it’s still a new statewide charge to prop up a Chicago-area transit system.
House Democrats are polling voters on potential new revenue sources, signaling no final decision has been made. The transit funding fight will continue to unfold during the fall veto session, which runs through the end of October.
