Illinois residents and commuters, including those in the Quad Cities, could be paying up to 30 cents more a gallon in gas taxes to pay for highway and bridge improvements all across Illinois. This according to a story from WIFR.

Outgoing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, which represent 275 local governments in Chicago and the suburbs, called for the increase as a way to fund Illinois Governor Elect J.B. Pritzker's promised multi billion dollar construction program.

Illinois bridges do need help and the state does need to find a way to pay for it. Current Governor Bruce Rauner’s cabinet says three fourths of Illinois bridges need repairs. So it certainly seems like something needs to be done.

I'm no fan of higher taxes but bridges and roads do need repairs, and we do need to pay for it. While I don't particularly want to pay 30 cents more a gallon in taxes at the pump, I don't particularly want to be crossing over the Mississippi on bridges that aren't maintained. Additionally, the current 19 cents a gallon tax on gasoline has been the same since 1991. So we have that going for us.

What do you think about this proposed fuel tax?

 

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