Illinois State Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-40) called on state officials Wednesday to do what they can to return millions of dollars in gas tax money to local communities.
The state's motor fuel tax is designed to be a way of raising funds for road salt, snowplow repair, patching potholes and other road projects and maintenance at the town and county level. The amount of revenue from the tax can be hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since the state's budget lapsed on July 1, municipalities across the state have been searching for ways to fill that large hole and continue funding these basic infrastructure costs.
“It’s ridiculous,” Hutchinson said. “State government’s role is simply to collect the money and send it back.”
Hutchinson was one of several state legislators to support a bill authorizing the disbursement of gas tax funds to local communities in May that passed the legislature but was vetoed by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Kankakee County received approximately $2 million in gas tax revenue in 2014, while the city of Kankakee received $681,000.
A second attempt (Senate Bill 2046) was advanced by the Illinois Senate in September and is awaiting action in the Illinois House.
"This isn’t Springfield’s money," Hutchinson said. "This is local government’s money that goes to provide vital local services. It belongs in our communities where it can do some good."
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