Roads Booster Calls for Higher Gax Tax

Macomb, IL – The head of Macomb's Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee believes it's time to raise the Illinois gas tax. Bruce Biagini says the additional money will be needed to cover matching funds for road projects in the new federal transportation bill. He says the gas tax is higher in Iowa, but gasoline is generally cheaper in that state. He says that shows distributors set a pump price that bears no relationship to tax levels. Biagini says Illinois must come up with at least a 20 percent match on more than $1.2 billion in road projects each year. He acknowledges no one likes to pay more tax. But he says getting a dollar's worth of construction for 20 cents in state tax money would boost the state's economy.