Long wish lists, but few funding ideas
Tuesday, Mar 5, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* BND…
The metro-east’s and southern Illinois’ wish lists for a capital bill include road improvements and building construction, but a way to pay for the projects remains elusive.
Members of the state Senate Subcommittee on Capital met Monday at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville for the first of five regional hearings on local construction needs around the state. The remaining four hearings are scheduled around the state this spring. […]
When state Sen. Martin Sandoval D-Chicago, asked representatives from Southern Illinois University if they would be willing to pay a higher gas tax, or tax on candy or license plate renewals, taxing freight or pollution, few, if any people raised their hands.
Senators said they would need to have support from people asking for funding on ways to help pay for the construction projects.
“We’re going to have to make the case for revenue to 12 million taxpayers in the state of Illinois, and it would be helpful if we had organizations making requests for capital, also publicly support the revenue needs in order to make that happen,” said state Sen. Ram Villivalam, D-Chicago.
* Southern Illinoisan…
Officials from the Southern Illinois University system presented a long list of projects, starting with an $83 million plan to refurbish the aging mass communications and media arts building and a $98 million science building on the Carbondale campus. The university is also hoping for a new education building for its medical school campus in Springfield.
In addition to those projects, however, John Dunn, interim chancellor of the SIU Carbondale campus said the school has a backlog of about $700 million worth of “deferred maintenance” projects.
“Visually, we need cranes on our campus,” he said. “Cranes on the campus send a powerful message to the public at-large that we’re alive and well, we’re working forward and we’re creating jobs.”
* Edwardsville Intelligencer…
Sandoval occasionally had a number of sharp questions for those testifying, ranging from how they would guarantee inclusion of women, minorities and veterans in various infrastructure projects, to pointed questions about how it should be paid for.
He repeatedly asked those testifying that question, often asking specifically if they would support a gas tax, mileage tax or other tax increases.
Responses ranged from some saying that it was the legislator’s job to figure that out, to a few others who said they would support some specific measures. They often couched those answers by saying elected officials would have to do a better job of explaining exactly how the money would be spent.
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:03 am:
They need to come up with reasonable road proposals like Missouri’s shared 4 lanes. These are all just fantasy proposals.
- Jibba - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:11 am:
“…it would be helpful if we had organizations making requests for capital, also publicly support the revenue needs in order to make that happen,”
Amen. And I’m looking at you, every Republican in the legislature. Don’t ask for your district if you don’t want to vote to pay for it.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:17 am:
I wonder if Baise would think it’s helpful to have a bipartisan, public chin wag on the initial discussion on funding a capital plan.
- Minnie Pearl Jam - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:18 am:
Good to Sandoval and Villivalam.
The days of magic beans need to end.
Want stuff ? Pay for stuff.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:20 am:
This is the Illinois way, and our citizenry is part of it. Ask for a high level of services, and a low level of taxation, and let “someone” figure out how to pay for it.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:21 am:
Seriously. A four lane from carbondale to waterloo. Wow. Dump a four lane into a quagmire of stop lights. This is going to help SIUC? Brainiacs like this got this state in the trouble its in.
- Anon - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:24 am:
@Not a Billionaire
Missouri’s four-lane US Highways are basically interstates with the cost of maintaining an interstate. They made me much safer driving to Kirksville, my college town in the middle of nowhere.
- Anon - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:25 am:
Meant to say without the cost of maintaining an interstate.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:29 am:
If you want to make it easier to get to SIUC, knock down the courthouse in Pinckneyville or bypass the town.
That little one-way jaunt always seems like it adds 35 minutes to the drive.
- Not It - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:34 am:
If the expenses include projects for buildings at universities or state facilities, wouldn’t that mean the revenues need to include taxes other than motor fuel and license renewals due to the lockbox amendment?
- Anon - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:35 am:
Oh c’mon. The reason that we don’t have money for a whole host of things is because of pensions, namely, past legislators (including Sen. Sandoval) refusing to contribute what should have been. Now, the good Senator is implying that people asking for necessary capital investments should be willing to stick their necks out and support increased funding to pay for it. I agree with the people who said that the legislature should figure it out. After all, that’s what they’re going to do anyway.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:35 am:
As I commented on the Fact Check thread with some revenue numbers, there is a long list of both needs and wants, and no easy way to pay for any of it.
The blunt question that should be asked of everyone wanting something is: are you willing to publicly support doubling the sales tax and income tax to pay for all of the State’s needs, like getting rid of the structural deficit, fully funding schools, rebuilding existing deteriorated infrastructure, etc. and wishes?
- Anon - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:36 am:
6 degrees-
We are already #8 out of 50 in the country in terms of total tax burden right now.
If you consider that a low level of overall taxation you are doing quite well it appears.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:50 am:
===If you consider that a low level of overall taxation you are doing quite well it appears.===
It’s a low level of taxation until the interest becomes due, which we are seeing the result of now. And we still are asking for more stuff without volunteering to pay for it “in the now”, as evidenced in the original post.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:51 am:
===Want stuff ? Pay for stuff.===
I generally agree, but I’ve been on the receiving end of one of Senator Sandoval’s lectures and I agree with those who say, “You ran for the Senate, sir, it’s your job to figure this out.”
That doesn’t mean he shouldn’t ask these questions. It just mean his brow-beating is tired and unhelpful. This is particularly true when lecturing public universities about how to raise the money to invest in…public universities.
Either protect your facilities, close them, or sell them to someone who will use them properly. Do your job, Senator, and let others do theirs.
- Anotheretiree - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:52 am:
“Visually, we need cranes on our campus,”
Well,if that’s what is needed,since we are broke, instead of building projects we could rent some cranes, have them lift stuff up in the air and move it around. Kind of like the last governor’s 4 years.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:59 am:
Anpn 11:35: Downstate population is shrinking and the region is losing political influence. Anyone who thinks the majority will hike taxes to pay for downstates’ deferred maintenance while downstate blasts the tax hikes is delusional.
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:00 pm:
Anon 1124 We have a DOT with no new ideas. I have hope for the new pick. But we need to look at MO. They are doing creative things on their limited budget. IDOT sort of did on the Beardstown Bridge. They are building a new 2 land on a4 land ROW.They could do the same on the rest of the road. They could improve the existing to a shared 4 and expand if ever needed. And it probably won’t be.We don’t need more jokes like the Macomb bypass.
- SSL - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:00 pm:
There is a trust issue between residents of Illinois and the elected officials. Those officials, over a period of several decades, made either self motivated or ill-advised decisions. As a result, there is a credibilty issue.
I expect that well funded opponents of the progressive income tax will play on that well deserved lack of trust, as they should. Why give more money to the very people who got us into this mess? Madigan and Cullerton are to fine examples. Those commercials will write themselves, and they can create enough doubt to keep people from voting to amend the state constitution.
JB has lots of expensive items on his wish list, and so far, a few one time revenue opportunities to pay for them. Show me more JB.
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:04 pm:
As to this fantasy project Pickneyville didn’t want a bypass. IDOT is replacing that idea with a roundabout.
They could do every downstate wish project as a shared 4 at a fraction of the cost. But this is Illinois so common sense might not apply.
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:07 pm:
This state has a history of lets build an interstate or nothing.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:17 pm:
“There is a trust issue between residents of Illinois and the elected officials.”
There sure is. We don’t want Republicans and their cuts-only, protect the rich at all costs philosophy. We don’t want Raunerism. That was made pretty clear in 2018.
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:18 pm:
Not a Billionaire,
Thanks. I honestly didn’t know about the roundabout. That said, I’m selfishly referring to the 127 commute through town that runs you smack dab into the courthouse block. And I’m being snarky.
- JB13 - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:20 pm:
No more “magic beans?” But what if the beans come from millionaires and billionaires?
- Union thug - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:22 pm:
Surprise, everyone wants a capital project but no one want to pay for it.
Also same ones that claim Chicago is always pushing around and ignoring down state. Do like being asked about what downstate will support…
- Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:27 pm:
===This state has a history of lets build an interstate or nothing.===
US 51 between Bloomington and Pana isn’t an interstate, and it isn’t “nothing” either. But it does have a lot of stoplights north of Decatur and a few through Clinton, and a lot of reduced speed limits through the little towns. I-39 between Bloomington and La Salle nearly got built the same way until the Thompson administration changed their minds.
I do get the idea of having alternating passing lanes rather than a full blown 4 lane road, where traffic doesn’t support the latter. The one interstate need I see in southern IL is completing the widening of I-57 between Marion and Mt. Vernon.
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:33 pm:
I would imagine Sen. Schimpf is already printing his campaign fliers proclaiming that he is a fiscal conservative and that Madigan is pork barrel spending this state into bankruptcy.
- IllinoisBoi - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:35 pm:
There have been cranes on the SIUC campus in recent years — to tear down the highrise residential towers.
- SSL - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:35 pm:
Well Grandson, I seem to remember that Madigan had lower approval ratings than Rauner, and they both deserve it.
While all the residents of Illinois don’t get to vote on Madigan, they do get to vote on the progressive income tax.
You may be right that there will be overwhelming support for a progressive income tax once the details are provided. But there will be plenty of opportunity for opponents to remind people what our legislators have done with new revenue in the past.
That’s a pretty lofty goal for passage.
- Robert0117 - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 12:37 pm:
The first priority of both a building and highway capital bill has to be maintaining what we have. Building more when we can’t maintain what we already have is insanity.
There also needs to be much more clarity on the expectations of State Agencies and Universities on their responsibility to maintain taxpayer funded buildings from their operating budgets. Using debt funded capital bills is NOT the way to fund ongoing maintenance.
- Leatherneck - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 1:05 pm:
- Blue Dog Dem - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 11:21 am:
Seriously. A four lane from carbondale to waterloo. Wow. Dump a four lane into a quagmire of stop lights.
————
That very accurately describes Veterans Parkway particularly on the west side of Springfield. What a mess and getting more dangerous by each passing day at rush hour.
- Anyone Remember - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 1:13 pm:
“Alternate passing lanes”??
That only works if you have have Missouri, not Illinois, semi traffic. Look at the MO disaster that is I-70 between KC and StL.
“I-39″
Having been stuck behind multiple Illinois National Guard convoys on the old US 51 north of BN, I-39 was the correct answer, not “alternate passing lanes” …
- Not a Billionaire - Tuesday, Mar 5, 19 @ 1:20 pm:
This is for roads of 3 to 8000 cod not busy interstates.