Gas tax roundup
Wednesday, Jul 3, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* More person on the street interviews about the 19 cents per gallon Motor Fuel Tax increase on gasoline…
John Taylor – a retired state worker – said he doesn’t mind paying the extra few dollars that are set to go to infrastructure repairs.
“The drivers ultimately have to pay for the roads,” he said while filling up at a gas station off Interstate 55 in Springfield Monday. “I mean who else do we think would pay for them? They’ve been neglected for years. I think it seems fair.”
Still, not everyone is happy with the increase. Jo Flowers, from Springfield, was getting gas at the same station. She said higher prices may affect how much she drives.
“I have to make sure I have enough gas to get back and forth to work,” said the single mom who works at a mail sorting company across town from where she lives.
There is zero doubt that this tax hike will cause some pain. But we cannot continue to allow our infrastructure to deteriorate like it has been. The problems created over the past couple of decades through neglect or outright malice need to be addressed, and this is just one of them.
* The Tribune looks at the impact on some businesses…
Waste haulers, who maintain large fleets of gas-guzzling garbage trucks, plan to pass the added cost along to consumers as soon as possible.
Most garbage trucks burn diesel fuel, which saw an even higher 21.5 cent-per-gallon tax increase kick in Monday, bringing the total state tax to 44.5 cents per gallon.
Lakeshore Recycling, which has 225 residential and commercial garbage trucks working in Chicago and the suburbs each day, will see its costs rise by at least $1 million annually, said CEO Alan Handley.
The Morton Grove company services 350,000 residences and 30,000 businesses, including all Chicago Public Schools, and empties the garbage cans in communities such as Highland Park, Wheaton, Skokie, Evanston and Deerfield. Both residential and business customers will likely pay the tab for the state’s fuel tax increase, Handley said.
“The cost has to be passed along,” Handley said. “We can’t absorb all that.”
Big trucks do far more damage to roads and bridges than cars. And somebody has to pay to fix those roads and bridges, including the customers of those waste hauling services.
* Not exactly a mouvement des gilets jaunes…
About 15 protesters backed up traffic on Monday along a busy intersection in Collinsville as a statement against the doubling of the state gas to 38 cents as part of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s new $40 billion state budget.
Demonstrators intimated they thought they were speaking for all state residents in making their voices heard.
* The governor was in southern Illinois yesterday to talk infrastructure…
Pritzker said all the road repairs will actually help families save money in the long run, despite the taxes.
“Families that are enduring $500 per year of damage to their cars because of the potholes because of the problems on our highways and our roads,” Pritzker said.
He also says the bill provides money for towns to do their own work. Sesser mayor Jason Ashmore said he’s hoping for help with the town’s sewer and water systems.
“We’ve made tremendous strides in our water and sewer infrastructure, but a lot of it is still from the 1930s so we’re still trying to get that updated,” Ashmore said.
No one is happy about the taxes, including [Rep. Dave Severin, R-Benton], but he said they need to happen.
“People in southern Illinois are going to see changes, and they’re going to be good changes, we just got to get people to hang with us,” Severin said.
* Wirepoints…
But the gas tax is certainly the most painful. With this new hike, Gov. Pritzker and progressive tax proponents just broke their promise to give tax relief to Illinois’ middle and lower class.
Remember that when the progressive tax amendment comes on the ballot next year. Proponents are going to promise the middle class a tax cut, but it won’t be true.
So… don’t vote yourself a modest income tax cut because of the gas tax hike?
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:32 am:
Funny how newspapers don’t rush out to do man-on-the-street react when they raise subscription prices.
- grand old non-partisan - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:38 am:
I hope every media outlet that has quoted Bill Fleischli and all the other chicken littles out there circle back in a few months to see how much (or little) it has changed anyone’s driving and/or purchasing habits.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:42 am:
===circle back in a few months to see===
lol
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:43 am:
Things need to be repaired. Things need to be paid for. Hardly anyone likes to see taxes go up. If you have a better way to pay it is your civic duty to say how to do it. Please do not say Illinois doesn’t have a money problem it has a spending problem and do not say cut waste Be specific.
Finally I think all these increases as well as minimum wage should be index for next inflation. We really did not keep up and cheated on repairs and infrastructure because of not indexing
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:47 am:
@Michelle Flaherty
People pay for newspaper subscriptions? How 20th century.
- Gruntled University Employee - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:48 am:
I drive my pickup truck a lot, at least 30K miles a year. To put this gas tax hike into perspective it will cost me $4.80 more per week. That’s a whole lot less than what I had to pay for a ruined tire and wheel combo from one of this State’s infamous potholes.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:48 am:
We’re doing great things and creating lots of jobs for just $.19 more per gallon of gas. Gas prices have fluctuated lots of times in the past. Gas has been relatively inexpensive, so now is the time to get big infrastructure projects done.
It seems better that this was enacted early in Pritzker’s term, so some anger may abate and there should be results that Pritzker can show voters when or if he runs again.
- lakeside - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:48 am:
==Remember that when the progressive tax amendment comes on the ballot next year.==
Taxing yourself twice is the best form of protest.
- oh? - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:49 am:
My my, throw anything and everything at the p.i.t. Next comes the kitchen sink.
- Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:53 am:
The man in the street coverage reminds me of years ago when Rich asked us all to explain our posting names. (I chose mine after hearing Sangamon County Republicans say Blagojevich was the first Governor to be late to events & vehemently deny there was such a thing as “Thompson Time” … .) Man in the Street, you are aware Illinois voted in Lockbox Amendment? Now, the worst that can happen is $ that should be spent on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge will be spent on the much newer “Stan Span” …
- Chicago Cynic - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:53 am:
“About 15 protesters backed up traffic on Monday…”
And yet media covered this non-event. I’m sorry but I have no sympathy whatsoever for most people who are screaming about this gas tax increase. The costs I’ve incurred in blown out tires because of broken roads far exceeds the cost of the gas tax hike.
Let me break that down. I drive about 18,000 miles a year. Between city and highway driving, I average 25 miles per gallon. At 19 cents a gallon the tax hike will cost me $136.80/year or about 11 bucks a month (or the cost of going to one movie a month without popcorn). Each time I blow out a tire because of damaged roads (it’s happened four times in the past five years), it costs $350. So that works out to about twice the cost of the gas tax.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:55 am:
==About 15 protesters backed up traffic on Monday==
Did these 15 get the same gift cards as they did when they came to Springfield to protest Madigan last year, or different gift cards?
- cover - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 10:56 am:
= $ that should be spent on the Jefferson Barracks Bridge will be spent on the much newer “Stan Span” =
That shouldn’t be an issue, do you think the Governor would skimp on maintenance of the “JB”? /s
- AC - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:03 am:
How much is diesel going up? There seem to be different numbers.
“The motor fuel tax is doubling from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents per gallon and the diesel fuel tax is increasing by 5 cents to be 45.5 cents total.” source: https://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/illinois-gas-tax-increase-pritzker-capital-plan-511957961.html
- Amalia - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:06 am:
Rich, “I love it when you speak French.” (for all you Addams Family fans out there.)
- I wonder... - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:09 am:
Infrastructure needs to be repaired or built. For the naysayers who will cross the borders, I traveled to Indiana this past weekend and the lowest price I found in Southern Indiana was $2.75 a gallon. I filled up in Illinois for 2.55 a gallon. So the 19c increase still is a penny a gallon cheaper.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:12 am:
===don’t vote yourself a modest income tax cut because of the gas tax hike?===
Rationale thought is rarely in play when anger prevails.
My favorite is first ask someone about roads and bridges. Let them rail on the conditions, let them go on and on… then bring up the gas tax… then explain… it hasn’t been raised in “x”… and these funds are going to fix all they complained about.
It’s enjoyable for me.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:17 am:
===There seem to be different numbers.===
https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/research/taxrates/Pages/motorfuel.aspx
- Fixer - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:20 am:
OW’s approach definitely leads to some interesting reactions.
To the post- something else “man on the street” keeps forgetting, it’s the week of the fourth of July. Gas prices are typically higher this week. Let’s see where they’re sitting in a month before going full chicken little.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:24 am:
As far as waste haulers go, here in Streator, the city negotiates a yearly contract with our trash pickup company, which for several years has been Waste Management. Residents pay a combined sewer tax/trash pickup bill monthly.
I would guess a lot of municipalities across Illinois do it that way. I don’t know if that contract can be negotiated mid-year or not. If not, the waste haulers will have to wait for their rate increase.
Too bad the GA didn’t put that Lockbox thingie on the Lottery when they started it. It was supposed to go strictly for education, but I think it’s been tapped for other bills over the years.
- Dotnonymous - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:25 am:
“I mean who else do we think would pay for them? - John Taylor
’nuff said…?
- TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:28 am:
From one of the links;
“We’re 12 miles from St. Louis, so we can go buy our gas in Missouri.”
For someone who seems concerned with not wasting money, there seems to be an absence of calculations, costs, and time involved going on in this guys mind.
- Anon - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:40 am:
When you spread Lakeshore’s extra million dollars
Across its 365,000 customers it is less than three dollars per customer. What are the odds they raise fees $10 a month and blame the gas tax?
- Dude - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 11:51 am:
Often, the “man on the street” lacks context and is prone to following the shiny object.
Mix in beat reporters that also lack context as they graduated from college five minutes ago, and you have the perfect brew of meaningless blather.
Intellectual insight and perspective are racing towards being an endangered species.
- Responsa - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 12:03 pm:
The additional tax on gas will affect some people much more than others because not all people who need to buy gas are in the same fortunate economic place. It seems small and petty when it is assumed that everyone who is complaining about it is merely being political or whiny or short-sighted. For some Illinoisans the additional weekly cost really is a big deal with respect to their families’ cash flow, regardless of how many pot holes get filled for the rest of us. The tax is signed and in effect. But showing a little respect and compassion for those folks who are struggling would be nice.
- Keith - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 12:43 pm:
Infrastructure needs to be repaired or built. For the naysayers who will cross the borders, I traveled to Indiana this past weekend and the lowest price I found in Southern Indiana was $2.75 a gallon. I filled up in Illinois for 2.55 a gallon. So the 19c increase still is a penny a gallon cheaper.
Work took me towards the IL/IN border and I filled up in East Chicago for $2.74/gal regular. That same gallon is on offer for $3.38 in my West Lakeview neighborhood. The increase in the license plate fee is perhaps the most difficult to accept.
- A Jack - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 1:22 pm:
I am still debating if the gas tax increase will help or hurt the progressive tax. I believe the gas tax increase will help if there are noticeable infrastructure repairs taking place by November 2020. I have see an uptick in infrastructure projects in Springfield already. People hurt the most by the gas tax increase will be helped the most by a progressive income tax. I still think it would have been wiser to wait until after the progressive tax passed before raising other taxes.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 1:35 pm:
== The increase in the license plate fee is perhaps the most difficult to accept. ==
That’s the one I will notice most as I write out checks for 4 cars and 2 trailers.
- Pick a Name - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 1:36 pm:
The naysayers seem to ignore the overall picture of the tax situation. .19 isn’t much but if the family has 3 cars and has to travel quite a bit, it is significant. In Sangamon county the sales tax is now 9.75%, fees are going up for various things and real estate taxes continue to increase.
Take a macro view of fees & taxes, it adds up, and removes money from people and reduces their ability to spend and drive the economy.
- Nonbeliever - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 1:49 pm:
The increase is not excessive providing the money is used wisely for roads and related infrastructure.
That may be a big IF but we shall see how our roads have improved- or not.
Give this tax three years to settle in and then adjust it for inflation at least every two years.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 1:51 pm:
===For some Illinoisans the additional weekly cost really is a big deal with respect to their families’ cash flow===
Hey I agree. But when you are out protesting, or airing grievances on the Capitol Fax, you are probably not one of those people. Those people are too darn busy.
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:10 pm:
Yesterday i cruised over to Perryville MO to get fireworks for the grandkids. The lines at the gas stations were staggering. Darn near all Illinois plates.
- A guy - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:21 pm:
Gas goes up and down precipitously. Even a significant tax, which this is, falls well within the swings of gas prices. We likely won’t ever see anything below 2 bucks ever again (at least in the Chicago area), but by next week, no one will be focused on this. Gas goes up during the holidays anyway. Wouldn’t be shocked if half the people don’t even know the tax was raised.
- A guy - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:22 pm:
Was out of state a couple weeks ago. The difference in the roads was totally noticeable. Audible even.
- Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:23 pm:
Blue Dog Dem -
Are you certain those Illinois plates weren’t on Missouri vehicles?
https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/some-of-your-neighbors-are-evading-tax-by-registering-vehicles/article_6a980078-5619-556e-a399-fe0636d6a6a9.html
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:32 pm:
Anyone. Possible, but doubtful. I gotta fess up. Brought the gas guzzling 2500 and put 31 gallons in. 60 cents/gal cheaper than in Murphy.
- Anyone Remember - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:44 pm:
Decades ago know there was lots of back and forth down there - some things cheaper on one side, some things cheaper on the other side.
- Nonbeliever - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:56 pm:
‘Take a macro view of fees & taxes, it adds up, and removes money from people and reduces their ability to spend and drive the economy.’
Good Point.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 2:57 pm:
===‘Take a macro view of fees & taxes, it adds up, and removes money from people and reduces their ability to spend and drive the economy.’
Good Point.===
Guess all those infrastructure jobs don’t count in either of your equations?
No? Yes? No.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 3:05 pm:
Live in middle of state so it isn’t economically to drive to another state to save 20 cents per gallon.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 3:25 pm:
“Yesterday i cruised over to Perryville MO to get fireworks for the grandkids. The lines at the gas stations were staggering. Darn near all Illinois plates.”
How many of these people will gladly drive on new and improved roads and bridges for which they didn’t pay?
- Nitemayor - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 3:40 pm:
Here in the Metro East, which borders Missouri, regular went from $2.65 to $2.89. This morning I counted over 12 stations that were all at $2.99.if that isn’t price fixing I don’t know what is.
- Road Kill - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 3:52 pm:
Enjoyed reading the comments pertaining to the doubling of the Illinois motor fuel tax .I was wondering how HB-2943 is not a diversion from the road fund ? Emission testing in the non-attainment areas has averaged about $30,000,000 a year over 30 years and it has been diverted from the road construction funds almost every year,and now the G.A. has passed a bill to keep allowing it.Also no one has mentioned the the amount of road construction revenue that has been swept or borrowed, I believe it is over a billion dollars over the last several years.Does everyone know that Illinois gas station customers pay over 4 billion dollars a year in taxes on motor fuel now?Keep reading the propaganda on how bad the roads are,they are bad because the Governors and the General Assembly chose to borrow and sweep rather the fund road repair.Would not repaying the road construction funds 500 million out of the 1.5 billion surplus that was found in April ,and then put the remaining to the pension debt would not that would have been the honest thing to do ,but when does honesty count in state government?
- Blue Dog Dem - Wednesday, Jul 3, 19 @ 4:02 pm:
Grandson. How many? The answer. Just about anyone who can. Just like buying union. Sounds good until your doing the paying.