SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS (May 8, 2019) — Today, Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch issued the following statement on the continuing capital discussion.
“Transportation infrastructure has played an important role in building and sustaining the Illinois economy since before we achieved statehood,” said Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch. “Without investments in our infrastructure system in the next three weeks, people and businesses in Illinois will continue to face rising transportation costs that ripple through our economy.
"The Illinois Chamber of Commerce has supported legislation introduced in both chambers that would raise money for capital needs throughout the state, while providing consumer relief by removing the sales tax on gas and replacing it with an increased flat motor fuel tax. We have also proposed reforms to provide transparency to taxpayers throughout the infrastructure planning process.
"We are thankful that stakeholders and legislators, especially Sen Martin Sandoval and Rep. André Thapedi, who sponsored our proposals, are taking leadership on this issue and continue to call for an immediate increased transportation investment. More work is needed to achieve consensus on the final transportation package. Further measures to minimize the impact on consumers and to provide greater confidence that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely — such as those in outlined in House Bill 3823 — should be included.
"While we don’t take tax increases lightly, investing in our transportation system will help Illinois drivers who pay about $600 every year in increased maintenance costs due to major wear and tear on their vehicles from the poor condition of Illinois roads and bridges."
