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Republicans and Democrats band together to push constitutional amendment

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Illinois

Citizens to Protect Transportation Funding is launching its public education campaign seeking support for a proposed state constitutional amendment to put state transportation spending in a “lockbox,” safe from other uses.

The group is a coalition of business, labor and construction groups, and it has raised almost $1.2 million for its push for what it calls the “safe roads amendment,” which voters will face on the Nov. 8 ballot.

The group has launched a website and will be following up its campaign with television and radio advertising. It contends the amendment to keep transportation funds from being swept for other government uses will mean “safer roads, a stronger economy and is the only way to hold Springfield accountable for future spending.”

* Greg Hinz…

But equally interesting is the list of political and legal hotshots steering the effort on behalf of the proposed constitutional amendment. Included: former Rauner chief of staff Mike Zolnierowicz, top Democratic strategist Eric Adelstein and Eric Madiar, former chief counsel to Illinois Senate President John Cullerton.

None of those figures would be involved without approval from bigger pols. And, since Speaker Mike Madigan’s House voted to put the “safe roads” amendment on the ballot, the speaker apparently is aboard, too.

“If you look at the vote in the General Assembly, it was nearly unanimous,” says Zolnierowicz. “This is an area on which people agree.”

The amendment specifically would mandate that all money that goes into the road fund be used for transportation needs—in a lockbox of sorts. And through the “road fund,” public transit in the Chicago area traditionally has received a fair-sized cut of annual fund spending.

The fund has been starved for cash lately—in part because state gasoline and license taxes and fees have been frozen for so long and in part because of what the group says have been $6.8 billion in diversions to other state needs over the past 12 years; $500 million was siphoned off just last year.

Those staff meetings must be fascinating.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 12:12 pm

Comments

good start. but they need to also consider expanding this to other areas, such as education.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 12:42 pm
Diverting highway funds should be stopped. Jesse White should stop sending money to libraries and pay the rent, electric and water bills on the SOS driver’s facilities. Money for libraries should come from the state budget, not from fees paid by motorists.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 12:42 pm
Why not put an end to fund sweeps altogether?

Comment by Casual observer Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 12:46 pm
stop us before we spend again.

Comment by jim Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 12:52 pm
Pork barrel politics. Money is fungible.

The state’s main problems do not include raids on transportation.funding. The state’s main problem is the lack of sufficient revenue to fund the programs that people want.

This protects labor and contractors, but doesn’t do anything to solve the state’s actual problems.

Comment by Keyrock Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 12:55 pm
=This protects labor and contractors, but doesn’t do anything to solve the state’s actual problems.=

There is some truth to that.

The “lockbox” concept didn’t work for pensions or education funding. What makes them think this will amount to anything?

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:03 pm
==This protects labor and contractors, but doesn’t do anything to solve the state’s actual problems.==

If the state is unable to raid the transportation fund, then that’s one less crutch the state can use to avoid a revenue solution.

Comment by Timmeh Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:05 pm
Why not put an end to special funds altogether. The needs and priorities of the state will vary over the years, as well the taxpayers’ ability and willingness to pay up and pay up again. Special funds reduce flexibility. Should a little-used country road take precedence over, say, services for homebound seniors in a given community. And many other examples. Our legislators and governor need to do their work in crafting a prioritized, paid-for budget every year. Not just once in a while, when they feel like it, and it’s not too politically scary.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:06 pm
So the people who can’t manage and legislate responsibly want to create legislation to force them to do what they already have the power to do…but choose not to because it doesn’t meet their political interests.

This’ll work…sure….

Comment by Illinois Bob Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:08 pm
DuPage, the only money Jesse White is spending from the Road Fund these days is for refunds. All other operations are paid from other funds, mostly GRF, so that’s why utilities at the drivers’ facilities aren’t getting paid.

Would love to see how they came up with that $6 billion figure.

Comment by Juice Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:10 pm
@Cassandra

You may be surprised to find out that many states actually run their government in the way you propose. Most legislators are pushed by the same special interests that Illinois legislators are, but the voters in those states draw a line which, if crossed, will have dire consequences for the legislator.

The problem is that the voters in Illinois have no such line….The re-elected Blago despite knowing about so many hinky things going on, and Chicago has been legendary for supporting such a mess.

Comment by Illinois Bob Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:13 pm
Can’t the roads just fix themselves?

Comment by Doug Simpson Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:23 pm
No, Doug Simpson. For that we need a special “self fixing roads” fund. /s

Comment by Casual observer Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:27 pm
Speaker Madigan has often objected to a Constitutional term limits clause. His argument is that the people can just vote for someone else.
In this context, the GA can simply 1) pass balanced budgets each spring and 2) not allow any such diversion, and 3) if the Governor does not propse a budget, craft one for him and pass it. And that should apply to other funds that get raided as well.
It means doing your job faithfully in my humble opinion.

Comment by Politically Incorrect Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:28 pm
==- Politically Incorrect - Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:28 pm: Speaker Madigan has often objected to a Constitutional term limits clause. His argument is that the people can just vote for someone else.
In this context, the GA can simply 1) pass balanced budgets each spring and 2) not allow any such diversion, and 3) if the Governor does not propse a budget, craft one for him and pass it. And that should apply to other funds that get raided as well.
It means doing your job faithfully in my humble opinion.==

This applies to locals as well, not just the General Assembly.

Comment by fantasyland Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:36 pm
@Juice 1:10
Certain funds that are collected from motorists by the S.O.S. office never make it into the road fund or the funds to operate the offices. They are sent to libraries. The S.O.S is the state librarian, and has the power to send grants to local libraries. Decades ago, several fees were drastically raised on motorists with the increased money going to libraries. It was not widely publicized, and unless it was changed it would still be going on. I know the fees have not gone back down.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:37 pm
ILBob, I didn’t think I’d see the day, but I agree wholeheartedly with @1:08pm.

These are not the heroes we’re looking for.

Comment by anon123 Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:38 pm
If all revenues go into a dedicated ‘lockbox’, then the only option remaining will be to raise taxes on the working poor and middle classes. How did I know this was coming?!.

Comment by blue dog dem Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:42 pm
@DuPage, the grants to the public libraries since FY 10 have been coming from GRF or the Live and Learn Fund, whose only source of revenues are GRF.

Comment by Juice Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:42 pm
This is the opposite of “Shakin’ up Springfield.”

Comment by Keyrock Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 1:51 pm
@Juice, if that’s the case, I stand corrected. I hope the fees are now directed to the road funds, and not to somewhere else.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 3:04 pm
Pathetic that this even has to be done, but given our political climate it may be necessary.

First let’s see some bipartisanship on terms limits in the GA (12 years). Even willing to exempt those already elected but start now.

Fat chance, huh!

Comment by Federalist Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 3:18 pm
I’m proposing a new rule. If you include the word “Citizens” in the name of your PAC, make sure at least one of your donations is from an actual citizen and not just other industry groups, companies, and PACs. Below is the list of donors (over $1,000).

- Downstate Infrastructure Awareness and Advancement Fund
- Three Rivers Construction Alliance
- The Associated General Contractors of Illinois
- Associated General Contractors of Illinois PAC
- AGCI Industry Advancement Fund
- Southern Illinois Builders Association PAC Fund Account
- Southern Illinois Construction Advancement Program
- Southern Illinois Builders Association
Excavators, Inc
- Good Government Council (Illinois Asphalt Pavement Assn.)
- Illinois Asphalt Pavement Association
- Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Assn
- Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers
- IL-CONCRETE PAC
- Illinois Road Builders Political Action Committee

Comment by Chicagonk Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 4:48 pm
This isn’t a Constitutional issue. If so many legislators are for using these funds in this way, vote on bills to make that happen.

This proposal is just bad government. This “bind our hands so we don’t have to take responsibility for our choices” attitude, is why our current Constitution is in the messy shape it’s in.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 6:32 pm
Lol, just more BS from the usual fools in Springfield

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Aug 16, 16 @ 7:01 pm