* From the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute…

Likely voters in Illinois overwhelmingly support a proposed state constitutional amendment requiring gas taxes be spent only on road projects, according to a poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale… The sample of 865 likely voters was taken Sept. 27 – Oct. 2 and has a margin of error of 3.3 percentage points.

· There are 80 percent of likely voters who support what’s been dubbed the “lockbox” amendment requiring that gas taxes, tolls and license fees be dedicated to roads, bridges and other transportation projects. Only 13 percent oppose it, and the rest are undecided.

Supporters argue state policy makers have sometimes shifted these dollars to non-transportation projects over the years, taking dollars from needed infrastructure projects. Opponents contend leaders need to have flexibility in the way they manage state finances and meet all the priorities they face.

Support is strongest downstate, where 87 percent support the measure. Seventy-eight percent support the measure in the Chicagoland suburbs and 73 percent in Chicago.

A lot of newspaper editorial boards have come out against the proposal (the SJ-R is the latest). I also don’t think it’s great policy, but I can see why this makes sense to voters who are frustrated with the General Assembly’s ability to do anything right.

* “On the ballot in November is an amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would make sure that funds from the gasoline tax, tolls, license fees, and other transportation levies can only be spent on roads, bridges, and other transportation-related projects. If that question were on the ballot today, would you vote for or against it?”…

*** UPDATE ***  Press release…

Two new ads explain why Illinois needs to support the Safe Roads Amendment this November as a commonsense approach to protecting taxpayers’ investment in a stronger transportation system.

Citizens to Protect Transportation Funding – a coalition of business, labor and construction groups – today announced it has rolled out the new spots as part of its aggressive statewide public education campaign for a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 8 ballot to prevent transportation funds from being spent on anything but transportation.

A 60-second radio ad and 60-second animated ad explain the Safe Roads Amendment – what it is, how it works and why it’s needed.

The radio ad, titled “Common Sense,” explains that years of decisions to spend road money on non-road purposes has helped create a dire situation for the state’s network of roads and bridges. The constitutional amendment is an easy way to start to address the backlog of disrepair.

“With the Safe Roads Amendment, we can fix our roads without raising taxes,” the narrator says in the ad, now running in the St. Louis market and to run statewide in the final three weeks of the campaign.

The animated ad, titled “Spread the Word,” takes a closer look at the bipartisan push to address transportation needs through the amendment.

“Your vote will create a lockbox for transportation money, so that gas taxes, car registrations and other transportation fees we already pay can only be spent on transportation,” the narrator says in the video intended to educate and advocate for the amendment online.

These ads follow the 30-second TV spot titled “When,” running on stations around the state.

The radio ad is here. The animated spot is here.