When you hear Senate President John Cullerton bemoaning the hopelessness of the state budget situation, feel free to point to a piece of legislation that would be the first step in ending the General Assembly's' out-of-control spending addiction: simply putting a means testing on free CTA rides for seniors. 

HB 4654 is waiting in Cullerton's Assignment Committee, with a joint sponsorship of Minority Leader Christine Radogno and Democrat Martin Sandoval.  The bill, which sets a low but reasonable income threshold for Illinoisans 65 and older to ride free on public transportation, passed the Illinois House on February 25 and hasn't been touched since then.

Check out HB 4654's 89 to 27 (with 3 present) House roll call.  Along with 22 Democrats, five House Republicans -- Bob Biggins, Mike McAuliffe, Bill Mitchell, Skip Saviano and Darlene Senger  -- voted to continue the free rides for all over 65, despite the State's current uncontrolled overspending.

Call your senator and ask him or her to sign on as co-sponsors and push HB 4654 out of Assignments, into committee and onto the floor.  It's a place to start intervening in our General Assembly's critical tax-and-spend addiction issue.