Urban Planning Group Calls For Hiking State Gas Tax To Pay For Transportation Infrastructre
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A respected urban planning group is calling for a significant hike in the state's gasoline tax to pay for a much needed transportation program, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
You won't get much argument about the Metropolitan Planning Council's assertion that Illinois' roads, bridges and rail lines have fallen into bad shape and MPC senior fellow Jim Reilly, a veteran of state government, told the City Club of Chicago the state needs $43 billion over the next 10 years to make things right.
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"If you add thirty cents to the gas tax, that may be a lot but keep in mind it hasn't been increased since '91, if you add thirty cents to the gas tax and increase vehicle registration fees across the board, you get the total that we need," he says.
Reilly admits passing that kind of tax hike is a tall order but he says people have to get over their penchant for wanting everything and not wanting to pay anything for it.
