* 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