Pritzker defends mass transit funding law
Tuesday, Dec 16, 2025 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Republicans and even one large Downstate labor union have been vocal about the mass transit bill’s funding streams…
• Gas Sales Tax Diversion:
• 85% allocated to NITA, 15% to downstate transit
• Generates approximately $860 million annually for operations
• RTA Regional Sales Tax Increase:
• 0.25% increase within the 6-county NITA region
• Generates approximately $478 million annually for NITA operations
• Road Fund & State Construction Account Fund (SCAF) Interest:
• 90% for Northeastern Illinois, 10% for downstate capital
• Provides roughly $200 million annually in the first year, declining as balances are spent down.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about this today…
I will say that we have put more money into Downstate roads than we have into the Chicago area roads, much more than historically. That’s just been the way it is since we passed Rebuild Illinois. That doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t address the concerns of Downstate members, but to be frank with you, there has been a significant shift of dollars to Downstate. If you drive around Downstate, anybody the folks who are here from Downstate would see that the orange cones are even more prolific in many areas Downstate than they - I’m looking at Tim Drea he drives it all the time. And so, you know, we definitely are looking at ways that we can turn the dials and make it better for Downstate, but I think we’ve, you know, we’ve done a lot already.
I’m not sure that argument is gonna work.
There’s also this…
NITA is targeted support for communities outside Chicago and the suburbs, ensuring that transit systems across the state are stabilized and improved. Key highlights for downstate and suburban transit include:
• Downstate Funding: $150 million to stabilize operations and support capital needs.
• Local cost-share reduced from 35% to 20%: making it easier for smaller towns or communities with limited or changing tax revenue to maintain and improve transit services.
• Suburban Transit Improvements: better Metra and Pace coordination and service frequency, a regional Dial-a-Ride program for on-demand transit (especially for seniors and people with disabilities), and a Metra regional rail model providing more frequent suburb-to-suburb service.
* Pritzker also denied that using sales tax revenue from gasoline is an unconstitutional diversion from the Road Fund…
It’s not diverting. This is, I mean, I want to point out that we’ve got sales tax on motor fuel. That, I think there was a willingness on the part of all the parties to understand that we have to do something in transit, that those dollars were being moved over by the legislature was not a part of the Safe Roads amendment the legislature had chosen to move it over, I think, beginning back in 2019 and instead, the common understanding was, this is something that really needs to go to rebuilding transit systems all across the state of Illinois. So that’s really what that diversion, as you’re calling it, is.
* Some questions have been raised about this as well…
Tollway Funding & Updates
Separately, the Illinois Tollway has not raised rates for over a decade, and any adjustments made by the Illinois Tollway Board are intended to keep pace with rising costs, as well as fund system upgrades and maintenance. Under current law, 100% of toll revenue will continue to be dedicated to Tollway maintenance, operations, and capital improvements, supporting a safer and more reliable road network across Northern Illinois[CA7] . Importantly, this new revenue is separate from the $1.5 billion previously mentioned, which is dedicated to transit investments including downstate transit.
• The Illinois Tollway is planning rate adjustment for both passenger and commercial vehicles, which are subject to approval by the Tollway Board.
• Current rates remain low: Illinois’ per-mile rates are $0.07 for passenger vehicles and $0.66 for commercial vehicles, below most peer systems nationwide.
* The governor’s response…
The increase in the toll is something that the toll authority has announced is in their purview. It’s within their authority and not the legislature.
And we made it clear in the legislation that it is a little bit unclear whether the legislature has the ability or doesn’t, with an independent agency like the toll authority, and the toll authority has exerted itself on that topic.
I will point out, though, that the toll authority, in order to do the upgrades and significant new building that it needs to do would have to We haven’t raised tolls in the state of Illinois, they haven’t for quite some time. So there was probably going to be something from the toll authority in order to meet the new plan that is being put forward by them, I think, over the next six to 12 months. So it really, it’s a little bit unrelated to the legislation, to be frank, in terms of how we’re going to pay for the transit system that we all really want. That really is a separate matter.
Run away! Run Away! /s
- Tax & Spend - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 12:30 pm:
It’s not diverting. This is, I mean, I want to point out that we’ve got sales tax on motor fuel.
He should also point out, unless I’m mistaken that Illinois applies Sales Tax to the final sale amount…..ie Sales tax is applied to both state and federal taxes…..now that’s a sweet money grab…..
- Slugger O'Toole - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 12:36 pm:
==Run Away! Run Away!==
This entire clip including Cleese as Tim the Enchanter is possibly the greatest 30 seconds of cinema ever. Thanks, Rich.
As to the post, I’m not a fan of NITA as it purports to streamlining, but really does little unless it re-negotiates the bloated PMO contracts that are hamstringing actual PACE/Metra/CTA staff from doing their jobs.
- Mason born - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 12:52 pm:
I’m not sure what the Governors definition of Downstate for his claims. But there are many more miles of Downstate roads than the Chicago area. I wonder what the $ per mile breakdown is. Those Downstate roads are bringing goods into and out of the Chicago area. Bring food and other consumables and facilitating commerce.
I’m not saying the bill isn’t needed but that argument is ridiculous.
- thisjustinagain - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 1:28 pm:
“When questions raised their ugly heads,
Sir J.B. word-saladed and fled.
When ugly facts were pointed out,
Sir J.B. turned and chickened out…”
From here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYFefppqEtE (at about 2:23)
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 1:31 pm:
“I’m not sure that argument is gonna work.”
No it won’t. But when you find me an argument, any argument coming from a Chicago democrat, that is going satiate downstate, please let me know.
- ArchPundit - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 1:38 pm:
About 40+-4 percent of funding goes to District 1 which is the Chicago Metro generally. That same area provides about 53 percent of the revenue approximately
https://www.illinoisepi.org/wp-content/old-files/reports/pdfs/il-transportation-revenues-expenditures-and-projects-analysis-final.pdf
==. But when you find me an argument, any argument coming from a Chicago democrat, that is going satiate downstate, please let me know.
The good self-reliant people of downstate have never gotten a subsidy from the Chicago area and that will never change no matter how much it might actually happen.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 2:42 pm:
==using sales tax revenue from gasoline is an unconstitutional diversion from the Road Fund==
Local 150 wanted it to be unconstitutional. The secondary goal of the Lockbox Amendment was to squeeze all other revenue sources and force tax hikes elsewhere. It was a feature, not a bug.
I’m with JB on this. Transportation is transportation. If some of the tax revenue generated from filling up my gas tank has to cover Metra service, so be it. Prioritize.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 2:46 pm:
===Local 150 wanted it to be unconstitutional===
Nope.
The Road Fund pays for mass transit programs. Always has. It’s *in* the lockbox. And 150 does mass transit work.
No evidence to support what you say.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 2:49 pm:
It’s even in the constitutional amendment…
- NIU Grad - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 3:01 pm:
Something I noticed when the Governor was on Pod Save America recently is that he is getting much more defensive when talking about his record in Illinois. It was a noticeable shift in the interview when he started talking about how bad things were before he came along. That argument about downstate road funding is a great example of that. That argument doesn’t factor in future spending for transit/road spending after this current influx.
The Tollway argument is disingenuous, as he controls the agency indirectly. It’s not a great look for the Tollway to increase rates while receiving a massive capital plan in the transit law.
- City Zen - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 3:32 pm:
==It’s even in the constitutional amendment==
All those words are construction-coded and do not pertain to “operations” as in paying bus drivers, train operators, accounting, etc (ie non-construction-related jobs). Yet all those jobs are necessary to operate mass transit.
But if that’s not how it’s being interpreted, fantastic.
- Da big bad wolf - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 5:49 pm:
A road that 10,000 drivers drive on has to be built the same way with the same time and materials as a road that 100,000 drivers drive on.
Maybe we should look at miles of road per capita. I think the people in the Chicago metro area might use less than people downstate, because there are more that use the road.
- Da big bad wolf - Tuesday, Dec 16, 25 @ 5:49 pm:
A road that 10,000 drivers drive on has to be built the same way with the same time and materials as a road that 100,000 drivers drive on.
Maybe we should look at miles of road per capita. I think the people in the Chicago metro area might use less than people downstate, because there are more that use the road.