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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
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