http://chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/n...03-20&id=24297
Group calling for $25 billion for transportation
A number of suburban government officials have joined a coalition of Illinois business and labor groups in calling for the state to invest
$25 billion in transportation over the next five years.
The group, the
Transportation for Illinois Coalition, is seeking money for
state highways, local roads, rail freight and public transit.
“This is a regional crisis that must be addressed,” said Bob Schillerstrom, chairman of the DuPage County Board.
While officials from Lake County, Palos Hills, Batavia and elsewhere lined up at a downtown Chicago news conference Tuesday to press their cases for more transit funds, which they said would foster economic and job growth, none would recommend where that money should come from.
The officials seem content to leave that decision in the hands of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the General Assembly.
“This is the year of the decision,” said Jim Reilly, chairman of the Regional Transit Authority. “The ball is in Springfield’s court.”
Mr. Reilly acknowledged that there was “no consensus” among members of the coalition about sources of funding for the $25-billion proposal.
The RTA is a member of the coalition, which is led by the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois AFL-CIO.
Mr. Schillerstrom said the group is “open to discussion” about sources of revenue, but, “Ultimately, that’s a decision by the governor and Legislature.”
When asked why the group is not making any suggestions to help guide Gov. Blagojevich and the General Assembly, Mr. Schillerstrom said, “I don’t think we want to lose sight of the goal by offering a variety of revenue sources.”
Joe DiJohn, research professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Urban Transportation Center, said the transportation system in Illinois is in a state of
“near-crisis.”
“There’s no question that there would be a steep degradation of service without funding,” he said.
Mr. DiJohn suggested increasing fuel taxes to fund transportation.
“It’s generally been understood, in the academic community and among economists, at least,” that if the gasoline tax is increased the additional funds would cover much of the costs to upgrade roads and public transit, he said.
A spokesman for Gov. Blagojevich’s Office of Management and Budget said the governor’s 2008 budget contains $1.8 billion in capital funding for new transportation projects and $2.4 billion to fund pre-existing projects.
Illinois First, the state’s last major transportation infrastructure program, was financed with bonds. An increase in state vehicle license fees and higher liquor taxes were approved to help pay off the bonds.
But don’t expect anyone to press for tax increases to fund transportation projects any time soon, said Joseph Schwieterman, director of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University.
“There’s often a backlash when the public learns about proposed taxes before being convinced of the benefits,” he said.