SPRINGFIELD – The Transportation for Illinois Coalition today issued the following statement as Gov. Pritzker presented his Fiscal Year 2022 state budget proposal.
TFIC is an umbrella organization of business, labor and transportation groups was formed more than 20 years ago to effectively advocate for infrastructure funding, and it has played a critical role in educating policymakers and advocating for capital construction programs and other funding for the state’s vital transportation system:
“We are disappointed by the Governor’s state budget proposal today.
This coming budget year is when Illinois was to begin committing all revenues motorists pay at the pump to transportation infrastructure. The Governor instead is calling for a delay in shifting the state’s share of sales tax revenue on gasoline purchases from the state’s General Fund to the Road Fund, which will mean an estimated loss of $120 million this coming year in funds to support the state’s capital program.
Our coalition fought hard for years leading up to the passage of the 2019 capital bill to ensure we did not repeat the mistakes of the past. We successfully pushed for an increase in the state’s motor fuel tax, including tying it to inflation, and shifting the sales tax funds motorists pay at the pump to support investment in our roads and bridges starting in the upcoming budget year, Fiscal Year 2022.
This budget proposal also calls for shifting $100 million for transit services that now is paid for by the state’s General Fund to the Road Fund, and for the state to keep 10 percent of sales tax revenues that otherwise would be distributed to local transportation districts through two state funds that support transit funding. These proposals will add an additional burden while the transit systems face incredible challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
We can never again allow our transportation infrastructure to decay for years without proper funding. We already are seeing a 15-20 percent drop in monthly state motor fuel tax revenues during the pandemic, along with significant declines in vehicle registration payments to support the capital program. Every dollar we lose in anticipated funding over these next few years delays the timely maintenance of our transportation system, resulting in a slower economic recovery and costly deterioration of our transportation infrastructure.
We urge the Governor and lawmakers to recognize the importance of the state’s capital program in creating jobs and keeping our economy moving, and to take every step possible this spring to support the investment we must make in our roads and bridges.”
TFIC Co-Chairs:
Patrick Hosty, Executive Director of the Chicago Laborers District Council-LMCC
Kevin Burke, Executive Vice President of the Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association
