The Chicago Transit authority is going to do some major service cuts if they don’t get $55-million from the Illinois government. (background stories if you haven’t heard about it: Chicagoist, Chicagobusiness.com, CTA.)
I’m going to mail a series of postcards to my congresspeople in Illinois:
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FRONT OF CARD:
**photo of rush-hour traffic**
We don’t need MORE rush-hour traffic
Approve the $55-million for the CTA
BACK OF CARD:
If you don’t approve the $55-million for the CTA, there will be even more cars on the expressways during rush hour. We don’t need that. We need more people to ride the CTA.
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FRONT OF CARD:
**photo of super-crowded train**
Give us some air
Approve the $55-million for the CTA
BACK OF CARD:
If the CTA cuts service, there will be less trains during rush hour. Can you imagine squeezing any more people onto the already crowded rush hour trains? Service cuts are impossible for the working class.
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FRONT OF CARD:
**photo of family**
Let me see my family
Approve the $55-million for the CTA
BACK OF CARD:
I cannot afford a car. I ride the CTA to see my parents on the south side. I ride the CTA to see my brother on the west side. I ride the CTA to see my sister on the north side. You HAVE TO approve the $55-million for the CTA so service is not cut on the CTA. I need it.
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FRONT OF CARD:
**photo of workplace**
Let me go to work
Approve the $55-million for the CTA
BACK OF CARD:
I cannot afford a car. I ride the CTA every day to work. You HAVE TO approve the $55-million for the CTA so service is not cut on the CTA. I need it.
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FRONT OF CARD:
**photo of grocery store, or maybe some basic food items, or maybe me carrying 10 bags of groceries down the sidewalk**
Let me buy food
Approve the $55-million for the CTA
BACK OF CARD:
The nearest grocery store is 8 blocks away from me. I need the bus to buy my food. You HAVE TO approve the $55-million for the CTA so service is not cut on the CTA. I need it.
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What do you think of these ideas? Any changes? Additional ideas? I encourage anyone to take these ideas and do their own postcard campaign.
First of all, I think your ideas are brilliant [as usual”>. Having said that, this is exactly the type of thing the CTA wants the public to do … fight their fight for them. Quite honestly, I think corporations should provide transit service for their employees. Many companies already do. I don’t believe eliminating the bus routes they are proposing is a big deal and actually think it’s a good idea. Train service could be cut back [how many times do you wait endlessly for a train only to have three in a row show up?”> to save money and reduce CTA personelle.
Thanks tom. Here’s another one: ========================== FRONT OF CARD: **photo of dirty detroit** Don’t make Chicago into a Detroit Approve the $55-million for the CTA BACK OF CARD: Do you want Chicago to be world-class city? World-class cities get their citizens to work in an efficient manner. If the $55-million for the CTA is not approved, our transit system will be downhill, rolling Chicago toward the state of Detroit. ==========================
Maybe you introduce yourself a little bit. Say you are a graphic designer so they understand you made these cards yourself. You don’t want the receipients to think that some big design firm designed these postcards. Then again maybe you do. Maybe you want the congresspeople to think that there’s this big marketing blitz to get the money for the CTA and they will vote get the money so they don’t look bad in the public’s eye. I’m all for public transit having a stronger presence. London has mastered public transit and they are prospering as a result. It’s dollar signs that congresspeople see easiest.
your cards are awesome! i am cracking up reading these….
For the second card (which reads, “If the CTA cuts service, there will be less trains during rush hour”), replace “less trains” with “fewer trains.” – The Grammar Queen
thanks bootlegger, thanks crissy!
check this out: savechicagotransit
After months of thinking about it, finally, I made CTA shirts designs and put them on CafePress. Enjoy. http://www.cafepress.com/angieoneal
Very clever, Angie.