The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization for the northeastern Illinois counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will. Representing nearly 8.5 million people, CMAP works closely with 284 communities across the region to address transportation, housing, economic development, open space, environment, and quality-of-life issues.

In October 2018, CMAP adopted ON TO 2050, a new comprehensive regional plan that recommends policies to support economic competitiveness and a strong quality of life for all communities in the region.

As governments across Illinois grapple with the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention must be paid to state and federal policies that can put the region on the path to a more equitable recovery. Both the State of Illinois and the federal government distribute billions of dollars each year to maintain the transportation system, promote economic development, strengthen communities, and maintain and preserve natural resources, among other programs and initiatives. Now more than ever, policymakers must carefully consider how allocating these resources can support resilience.

CMAP’s Legislative Framework describes the agency’s policy positions organized around the goals included in the ON TO 2050 chapters: Community, Prosperity, Environment, Governance, and Mobility. This document is intended to guide and inform legislators in Springfield and Washington, D.C.; the governor of Illinois; state and federal agencies; and regional partners on how they can help implement ON TO 2050.

CMAP is most interested in legislative initiatives that have regional or statewide impacts, or those that could serve as precursors to broader, more comprehensive legislation. This framework’s recommendations reflect the regional nature of CMAP’s policy and planning work, as well as the agency’s role in decision-making within Illinois.

ON TO 2050 includes three overarching principles reflected in policy positions throughout this framework. These principles should guide policy and legislation to ensure resiliency and prosperity for all regional residents to 2050 and beyond.

• Inclusive growth: Growing our economy through opportunity for all.
• Resilience: Preparing for rapid changes, both known and unknown.
• Prioritized investment: Carefully targeting resources to maximize benefit.

This detailed framework accompanies state and federal legislative agendas that focus on specific legislative priorities. See more at www.cmap.illinois.gov/updates/legislative. More resources and analysis on how COVID-19 has affected the region are available at https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/updates.

State and federal policies play an important role in creating and sustaining the vibrant communities that help the region thrive. Investing in areas with transportation and economic assets, as well as communities that have been left behind, is imperative. Supporting careful growth in emerging areas is also key to regional prosperity.

Strategic and sustainable development
State and federal policies can foster fiscally prudent and resilient development that leverages the region’s extensive infrastructure, diverse communities, and economic assets. Strategic investment in new development, and the new infrastructure required to support it, is critical with constrained resources. From 2000 to 2015, the region expanded its developed footprint by nearly 12 percent, an area equal in size to the City of Chicago — while employment remained flat, population increased by 4.6 percent, and many opportunities for infill development remained untapped. Significantly more land was developed than preserved as open space. Using an holistic approach, targeted programming, and state and federal investment, these policies can facilitate rebuilding communities and careful expansion of our built environment. Particular attention must be focused on communities that are rich with potential yet suffer from long-term disinvestment.

CMAP supports:

Federal and state legislation that spurs fiscally sustainable development and revitalizes existing infrastructure.

Federal and state policies that catalyze growth in disinvested areas by refocusing regulations, programs, and incentives.

Reinvestment for vibrant communities
Communities’ needs across the region are shifting: The population overall is growing older and more diverse, businesses’ location preferences are changing, and more residents want to live in walkable communities. To achieve local goals, strong and vibrant communities will have to offer a range of housing, transportation, amenity, and employment options. For example, compact development supports cost-effective public transit service and also facilitates walking and biking. In turn, these options improve mobility and public health while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. State and federal policymakers should prioritize reinvestment in communities to reduce infrastructure costs and promote fiscal sustainability.

CMAP supports:

Federal and state policies that promote infill development of compact, vibrant communities with robust multimodal transportation options and transit-supportive land uses.

Federal and state initiatives that foster market-driven housing policies, match regional and local housing supply with options that residents want, and promote development of diverse housing types.

Federal and state programs that revitalize land through the redevelopment process — such as investments in brownfield remediation — offering communities the opportunity to enhance performance of the built environment or increase access to open space and natural assets.

Development that supports local and regional economic strengths
The region needs a tax system that provides opportunity for local governments to generate revenue that supports their plans, goals, and desired development patterns. In addition, the tax system must offer options for local governments to adapt to changing economic conditions. State policymakers must support industries that connect the region to the global economy and foster local cooperation on economic development. Lawmakers should seek changes in tax policies at the state and local level that support more development types and provide local governments with more paths to success. These strategies can reduce competition, limit overbuilding of some development types, lower costs, and improve fiscal outcomes for the region.

CMAP supports:

The State of Illinois reforming state revenue disbursement criteria to reduce wide divergences in receipts across municipalities, allowing each municipality to support its own desired mix of land uses, and adapt to changing development patterns.

The State of Illinois expanding the sales tax base to additional services in a manner that helps communities create a more balanced land use mix, helps ensure those who make similar incomes pay similar taxes, minimizes economic distortions, and mitigates the cascading nature of sales taxes.

The State of Illinois adhering to fiscally sustainable practices to ensure a stable business climate and guarantee the reliability of state support to the region, including for local governments, transit agencies, and nonprofit service providers.

The State of Illinois approving statutory changes that allow non-home rule governments to impose additional types of user fees.

Sustaining broad economic growth requires improving metropolitan Chicago’s business environment to enable industries and workers alike to compete globally and prosper locally.

Robust economic growth that reduces inequality
Northeastern Illinois has extensive assets, including its people, industries, educational and research institutions, infrastructure, and geographic location. But its economic output increased just 0.9 percent annually between 2001 and 2017, coupled with just 0.2 percent annual employment growth, and stands to slow further during the pandemic. In particular, Black residents were the hardest hit during the 2007-09 recession and have been the slowest to recover. Black residents experience higher unemployment rates, lower workforce participation, and larger declines in household income. As our slow growth continues to lag behind peer regions, residents — primarily from lower- and moderate-income households — are leaving to seek economic opportunity elsewhere.

Advancing the state’s economic goals requires action to bolster a range of private and public initiatives. ON TO 2050 supports pathways for upward economic mobility and specialized industry clusters — groups of related businesses with historic roots and competitive advantages in the region. By prioritizing smart, inclusive strategies, state and federal policymakers can ensure that northeastern Illinois remains a destination for diverse business activity, innovation, and talent.

CMAP supports:

Federal and state policies, programs, and funding for cluster-oriented development and other initiatives that bolster globally competitive industries.

Federal and state resources that further the development, implementation, and expansion of career pathway programs.

Federal and state investment in the state’s talent pool through robust and reliable funding for higher education and workforce development.

State of Illinois strategic planning for its distinct regional economies, allocating resources and developing policies to reflect their scale, opportunities, and challenges.

Responsive, strategic workforce and economic development
Today’s economy has grown increasingly complex, transformed by technological change, global competition, emerging industries, and evolving consumer demand. As a result, northeastern Illinois needs to prepare for both anticipated and unforeseen economic shifts. Effective public policies and investments can prioritize limited government resources in collaboration with private and nonprofit partners. Yet workforce and economic development decisions frequently lag behind the pace of change, and insufficient data and performance metrics limit the economic benefit of public expenditures. Achieving stronger growth will require coordinated, sustained investment of limited resources in particular communities and industries.

CMAP supports:

Federal and state investment in longitudinal workforce and education data systems to inform more responsive public policy.

State of Illinois reform of economic development incentives to institute stronger standards for transparency and accountability, including regular audits, data releases, and sunset provisions.

State of Illinois efforts to incorporate regional goals and priorities into economic development investments and prioritize assistance or incentives that align with strategic planning.

The region’s natural environment and resources are some of the most valuable and irreplaceable assets in northeastern Illinois, contributing to a high quality of life and supporting a vibrant regional economy.

A region prepared for climate change
Climate change, manifesting in our region as more frequent and severe storms, extreme temperatures, and drought, is already significantly affecting our economy, ecosystems, built environment, and people. Increased flooding and heat strains our roads, rail, and other infrastructure. ON TO 2050 recommends intensifying climate mitigation efforts and reducing greenhouse gases, while at the same time preparing for and equipping communities to recover from the acute shocks and chronic stresses of climate change. Mitigation will require aggressive efforts to modernize our energy infrastructure and address emissions caused by transportation. Planning for climate change requires rethinking the region’s green and gray infrastructure, as the region’s roadway, water, and energy systems were designed using standards that predate the increased number of heavy rain events, freeze-thaw cycles, and hotter and wetter conditions.

CMAP supports:

Federal and state actions to bolster climate resilience by investing in a more flexible and decentralized electric grid, such as the Smart Grid Investment Grant Program.

State of Illinois coordination of funding, programming, data, and models for climate resilience among state environmental agencies — including the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS), Illinois State Climatologist, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).

Federal and state policy to uphold the U.S. commitment to the Paris Agreement, expanding renewable energy and efficiency programs, exploring market mechanisms for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and transitioning to renewable resources.

State of Illinois implementation of the emissions reduction policies of the Future Energy Jobs Act and programs to promote energy conservation.

Federal and state policies that enable the transportation system to reduce emissions, including electrification of commercial fleets and transit systems.

An integrated approach to water resources
The region’s water resources play an essential role in sustaining economic prosperity, environmental health, and quality of life — yet the region’s policies do not adequately reflect their real and inherent value. As a result, the region continues to suffer major flood damage and degraded water quality, while growth and development strains our drinking water supply. Access to clean and reliable water differs across the region, and water infrastructure investments lag behind public health needs. Policymakers must incorporate an integrated approach to water resources to keep the region’s waters clean for people and wildlife, reduce flood risks, and coordinate and conserve shared water supply resources to ensure long-term sustainability.

CMAP supports:

State of Illinois development of a comprehensive state plan to guide programs that integrate water supply, water quality, stormwater, and aquatic habitat programs, as well as providing adequate funding for these initiatives.

State of Illinois coordination of data collection, tracking, and research for water resources and infrastructure among various agencies, including IEPA, IDNR, Illinois Department of Public Health, ISWS, Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois Natural History Survey, watershed working groups, and other watershed organizations.

Federal reforms to water quality and stormwater management that address non-point source pollution.

State of Illinois water infrastructure investments that promote safe drinking water, reduce water loss, increase resource recovery and closed-loop systems, improve the Illinois Clean Water Initiative, better support low-resource communities in need, and implement water infrastructure asset management.

Federal investments that maintain the health, recreational use, and economic benefits of Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes, such as the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Coastal Zone Management Program, Water Resources Development Acts, and efforts to prevent invasive species transfer.

Federal and state reforms to modernize policies related to flooding, including making risk information available for property sales, and reforming the National Flood Insurance Program to develop long-term solutions for properties that are at high risk of flooding.

State of Illinois action to foster regional water coordination efforts modeled after the Northwest Water Planning Alliance to explore ways to coordinate withdrawals and management of shared water resources with neighbors.

Development practices that protect natural resources
Natural areas provide places for recreation, habitats for native flora and fauna, air pollutant filtration, flood reduction, urban heat island mitigation, and groundwater recharge, while at the same time creating more desirable, healthy, and resilient communities. Climate pressures and development threaten the region’s natural assets. Development continues to convert natural and agricultural land, fragmenting our open spaces. ON TO 2050 envisions a future where development practices and infrastructure embrace natural landscapes. The region needs policies that incentivize infill and reinvestment in communities, address contamination, and promote conservation of open space for the health of the natural and built environments. Policymakers should leverage tools such as CMAP’s Flood Susceptibility Index, Conservation Areas Local Strategy Map, and the Green Infrastructure Vision to target environmental investments that meet multiple goals, like providing access to open space and mitigating flooding.

CMAP supports:

Federal and state programs that encourage redevelopment and enable local governments to deploy sustainable development practices.

Federal and state action to address environmental challenges that disproportionately affect specific populations and disinvested areas.

Federal and state protection and stewardship of high-priority natural areas by continuing to fund IDNR and land managers via the Open Space Lands Acquisition Development (OSLAD) Program, the Natural Areas Acquisition Fund (NAAF), and the Coastal Management Program.

Federal and state innovative financing mechanisms to support open space protection and enhancements.

State of Illinois expansion of conservation efforts through land trusts and conservation easements, and development of a statewide policy for conserving agricultural lands.

State of Illinois expansion of programs that promote sustainable agricultural practices, encouraging crop diversity and protecting water resources.

Effective governance requires collaboration between governments at every level, adequate resources for addressing today’s challenges, and data-driven decision-making to seize on tomorrow’s opportunities.

Collaboration at all levels of government
Due to economic hardships resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that state policies ensure local governments identify opportunities to share services and achieve the goals of better governance, reduced costs, and improved service delivery. Strategies should provide local governments with innovative tools to solve problems, improve intergovernmental collaboration, and facilitate well-informed exploration of options like consolidation when appropriate. State policymakers should also consider taking more direct action to facilitate partnerships and mergers where locally desired. Several other states have funded local feasibility studies on consolidation and service sharing, with the goals of improving services or reducing local tax burdens. Illinois should follow suit.

CMAP supports:

The State of Illinois providing assistance for local government service sharing and consolidation by conducting feasibility studies, sharing best practices, and addressing legislative barriers.

The State of Illinois providing financial support for local government consolidation based on well-defined criteria, such as offsetting short-term property tax differentials or other associated expenses for transition.

The State of Illinois appropriating consistent, adequate revenues to sustain all of CMAP’s comprehensive planning activities, including water resources management, climate resilience, economic development, local capacity, and other ON TO 2050 priorities.

Federal funding for the implementation and expansion of programs such as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s former Sustainable Communities Initiative that link planning and investment decisions across disciplines.

Capacity to provide a strong quality of life
State and local governments must take steps to improve their near-term fiscal condition and long-term outlook. Policymakers should develop tax policies that strengthen communities and the region, and commit to sound budgeting practices to stabilize local government revenues. The state tax code must be modernized to reflect current consumer trends — such as the use of services rather than goods — and to better represent the multijurisdictional nature of the region’s many industrial and office employment areas.

CMAP supports:

State of Illinois efforts to modernize the tax code to better reflect the changing economy, including by expanding the sales tax base to additional services.

The State of Illinois assigning non-home rule municipalities more authority to implement user fees, such as motor fuel taxes or fees to address freight needs, in order to provide services and maintain infrastructure.

Data-driven and transparent investment decisions
To maximize limited public resources, investment decisions should be driven by data, use performance-based metrics, and be conducted transparently. Budgetary and programming decisions are still too frequently made without adequate transparency or prioritization based on need. Performance-driven investments will enable the region to manage assets, provide services, and support infrastructure; however, that approach requires complete, accessible, standardized, and high-quality data. Data provided by state agencies, the U.S. Census Bureau, and other federal agencies are crucial to understanding regional and local trends and conditions. However, certain data necessary to assess the transportation system’s needs, such as freight and goods movement or data from other private transportation providers, is generally unavailable to planners.

CMAP supports:

State and federal efforts to collect comprehensive data and facilitate open exchange of data by applying best practices and technological improvements.

State and federal policies to facilitate adequate access to private data sets that can improve transportation programming decisions and policies.

The transportation network of metropolitan Chicago remains underfunded and unprepared for future challenges. Bold steps must be taken to address today’s problems and anticipate opportunities for achieving a well-integrated, multimodal transportation system.

A modern, multimodal system that adapts to changing travel demand
People have more options for moving around the region than ever before — from rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft to Divvy bikeshare service. Automated vehicle technologies may also influence how vehicles operate on our roadways. These emerging trends will continue to transform how residents and businesses use the region’s transportation system. Although technology has facilitated movement throughout the region, transportation technology policies should complement transit and allow users to move between modes. Reforms should focus on providing the necessary funding and policy changes to make transit more competitive. Initiatives must also keep freight top of mind — recognizing the region’s role in moving goods locally and nationally — while mitigating potential negative effects on communities.

CMAP supports:

Federal and state policies that harness technology to improve travel and anticipate future impacts by identifying ways to leverage detailed data that is provided to private companies — while carefully protecting riders’ privacy.

Federal and state investments and reforms to make transit more competitive by diversifying and increasing funding sources for transit.

State legislative initiatives that require IDOT and the Illinois Tollway to implement congestion pricing on new roads or lanes, and allow them to strategically price components of the existing highway network, including congestion pricing for new managed lanes on I-55.

Federal and state expansion of funding for the freight network, including important Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program projects, such as completion of the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project.

Federal action to establish technology standards for connected and automated vehicles that can enable long-range infrastructure planning and safety analysis by local and regional jurisdictions.

A system that works better for everyone
Policymakers must commit to funding and supporting a system that works for the entire region. Transit has proven essential throughout the pandemic and remains a critical pillar to recovery. Although the region has the second-largest transit system in the nation, critical parts of metropolitan Chicago remain inaccessible to residents. A system that works better for everyone includes wide-ranging and interconnected issues such as bicycle and pedestrian safety, access to economic opportunity for residents of color and residents with low incomes, expanded travel options for seniors and people with disabilities, and the adaptations necessary to respond to a changing climate.

Special attention must be paid to leverage transportation and infrastructure investments to promote inclusive growth. Transportation can play a key role in creating pathways to opportunity for low-income communities, people of color, and people with disabilities. Residents from low-income households in northeastern Illinois use all modes of transportation to get around, yet are often burdened by some of the longest commutes in the region.

CMAP supports:

State and federal efforts to build capacity for disinvested communities to develop, fund, and maintain transportation infrastructure.

State and federal policies and funding to pilot new options to reduce the commute times of low-income residents.

State of Illinois policies and programs to enhance travel safety by improving incident detection and management, developing better bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, improving driver training, and collecting better and more complete safety data, among other efforts.

State and federal reforms that enable IDOT, the Illinois State Police, the Tollway, and municipal and county agencies to implement automated speed limit enforcement programs, in a transparent and accountable manner that protects the public interest, particularly with concern to privacy and equity.

Making transformative investments
Northeastern Illinois must continue to invest in maintaining and enhancing the transportation system to keep up with demand and promote regional economic vitality. However, today’s funding mechanisms are outdated: policymakers need to explore new strategies to collect sustainable and adequate revenues. With even further constrained resources, transportation decision-makers should continue to implement data-driven programming practices that emphasize selection of projects that meet clear regional objectives for transportation, land use, environment, and the economy.

CMAP supports:

State of Illinois action to establish adequate and sustainable multimodal capital funding.

The State of Illinois furthering its progress on transparent, performance-based allocation of funding.

The State of Illinois beginning necessary steps — including a pilot project — to replace the motor fuel tax with a per-mile road usage charge.

The federal government increasing the gas tax rate, indexing it to an inflationary measure, and in the long term replacing it with a per-mile road usage charge. The federal government should also work with states to develop a national solution to implementing road usage charges at the state level.

The State of Illinois expanding the sales tax to additional services to provide additional funding for transit.

State of Illinois initiatives that allow enactment of revenue sources for the seven-county CMAP region to meet its own transportation needs and provide local communities with the tools and authority to raise their own transportation and infrastructure revenues, including broader taxing authority for the Regional Transportation Authority.

State and federal initiatives that broaden authority to implement tolling and allow toll revenue to be flexibly used for multimodal transportation system goals.

State of Illinois efforts to permit and encourage innovative transportation funding and financing sources, such as value capture, and strategic use of public-private partnerships in a transparent manner that protects the public interest.

Federal implementation of a cost of freight service fee — a sales tax on the cost of shipping freight — at the national level.

The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) was created in 2005 by state statute (70 ILCS 1707). CMAP’s Policy Committee is the federally designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the seven counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will, plus portions of DeKalb and Grundy. State and federal mandates require CMAP to conduct comprehensive regional planning, prioritize transportation investments, provide technical assistance for communities, and compile data resources that enhance decision making. CMAP staff are guided by the agency’s core values:

Serve with passion.
Pursue equity.
Foster collaboration.
Lead with excellence.
Drive innovation.

Implementation of ON TO 2050 is CMAP’s main priority. CMAP is working to achieve regional goals in three primary ways: hands-on technical assistance to local governments, alignment of capital investments through performance-based decision making, and collaborative research and analysis.

Local Technical Assistance (LTA)
CMAP has initiated over 220 LTA projects in partnership with counties, municipalities, and nongovernmental organizations that are planning for increased livability, sustainability, and economic vitality.

Performance-based programming.
ON TO 2050 recommendations guide the allocation of federal transportation dollars in northeastern Illinois through the following programs that CMAP administers:

• $475 million is programmed to be invested over four years (federal FY 2021-2024) as a part of the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program to enhance mobility and improve air quality throughout the region.
• $196 million approved via the Surface Transportation Program-Shared Fund for federal FY 2020-2024, developed through coordination with subregional Councils of Mayors and the City of Chicago to address regional infrastructure priorities.
• $25 million allocated as part of the Transportation Alternatives Program for federal FY 2021-23 to support alternative modes of transportation and help complete CMAP’s Regional Greenways and Trails Plan.
• $17 billion in total, accounted for in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which includes all federally funded and otherwise regionally significant projects for federal FY2021-2025.

Policy research and analysis.
CMAP conducts extensive, data-driven research and analysis related to policy objectives in ON TO 2050, including diverse economic factors such as workforce, innovation, and state and local tax policies. CMAP helps to coordinate collaborative efforts to build partnerships involving educational institutions, government entities, and industries to strengthen our region’s economy.

This document and other CMAP legislative and policy statements for state and federal government can be found at cmap.illinois.gov/updates/legislative.

Contact Gordon Smith
Director of Government Affairs
312-386-8739
gsmith@cmap.illinois.gov