The RTA approved the governor's short-term fix in the form of a $58 million advance from the 2008 budget to avoid service cuts, fare hikes, and mass layoffs planned to go into effect on September 16.

If legislators do not approve a long-term funding solution by November 4, however, the CTA will once again be forced to move forward with layoffs and cuts.   

In a letter to CTA riders published in Friday's papers, the unions representing workers urge lawmakers to approve a solution that will solve the decades-long underfunding problem.

"Earlier this summer, we addressed labor-management issues at the CTA and workers agreed to difficult adjustments within their union contracts in order to get CTA operations back on track and sustainable into the future.

"Now it is time for legislators and the governor to do their part and come up with a long-term funding solution.  If they fail to do so, the CTA again will be forced to cut service, raise fares, and lay off hundreds of employees."

Read the entire letter here