At our RUSH meetings we’ve been hearing that Illinois has lagged behind in raising the motor fuel tax to fund transportation. Marc Poulus a member of Governor Pritzker’s infrastructure committee has attended each of our RUSH meetings. He says, Illinois needs to raise the fuel tax considering we’re paying the same as we did 30 years ago and we have more fuel efficient vehicles on the road.

State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago) unveiled a plan Wednesday that would provide sustainable annual funding to address years of neglect of Illinois’ roads, bridges and transit systems.

The plan, the first of its kind in Illinois in a decade, would include an increase in the state’s gas tax – the first since 1990. As a result of nearly thirty years of stagnant motor fuel tax rates, Illinois has had difficulty keeping up with maintenance to ensure that its transportation system is safe and efficient. Sandoval says since 2012 more than half the states in America have raised their motor fuel tax and it’s time change.

Currently, Illinois pays 19-cents a gallon in motor fuel tax. In December of last year, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel says lawmakers should increase the motor fuel tax to 30-cents a gallon.

If approved the measure is estimated to provide an additional $2.4 billion in funding for needed projects throughout the state.