Illinois House bill seeks to end waste and corruption in infrastructure spending

By Aneesh Bafna

04/30/2021

House Bill 253 would create data-driven process for selecting future infrastructure projects in an attempt to end wasteful and politically motivated spending.

TAGS: Illinois, infrastructure, pork barrel spending, tax hikes, transportation, waste

Will County board to vote on 4-cent countywide gas tax following doubled Illinois tax

By Vincent Caruso

12/10/2019

Included in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan is increased taxing power for some county governments to create or raise countywide gas taxes. Will County could be the first to exercise that authority.

TAGS: capital plan, Democratic Party, excise tax, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, infrastructure, JB Pritzker, Republicans, sales tax, Springfield, tax increase, transportation

Tax on Uber, Lyft rides in downtown Chicago set to triple Jan. 1

By Vincent Caruso

12/09/2019

Chicagoans will pay higher taxes on rideshare trips in 2020 as part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s first budget.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, Chicago Department of Transportation, congestion tax, CTA: Chicago Transit Authority, fees, Illinois Constitution, Lyft, outmigration, population, taxis, transportation, Uber

Sandoval resigns Senate seat amid federal corruption probe, effective Jan. 1

By Vincent Caruso

11/27/2019

The once-powerful state officeholder previously resigned as chairman of the influential Illinois Senate Transportation Committee in October.

TAGS: FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Senate, JB Pritzker, John Cullerton, Martin Sandoval, McCook, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Senate Transportation Committee, Springfield, Tom Cullerton, transportation

Springfield response to capital bill corruption: A new coat of paint

By Austin Berg

10/10/2019

As the Sandoval scandal develops, Illinoisans should be careful not to confuse personnel changes for reform.

TAGS: capital bill, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, gas tax, investigation, JB Pritzker, Martin Sandoval, transportation

Chicago rolls out e-scooter pilot program

06/21/2019

Thousands of electric scooters have arrived in Chicago as part of a four-month pilot program.

TAGS: Chicago, e-scooters, scooters, transportation

Gas prices spike ahead of Memorial Day weekend, as future tax hikes loom

05/25/2019

A nationwide gas price surge reached its peak just ahead of Memorial Day weekend, with Illinois gas prices sitting above the national average.

TAGS: capital project, gas tax, JB Pritzker, transportation

The Windy City blows away your holiday travel dollars

By Brad Weisenstein

05/19/2019

Illinois stands above its peers when it comes to taxing residents. But Chicago makes it really something to behold when visitors see that famous skyline with all its tall taxes.

TAGS: amusement tax, Chicago, gas tax, parking violations, sales tax, taxes, transportation

House committee passes bill that would make Illinois gas tax burden highest in the nation

By Vincent Caruso

05/09/2019

The Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee approved a bill that would more than double the state gas tax. Illinois may soon have the nation’s highest gas tax burden.

TAGS: gas tax, Illinois House of Representatives, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, sales tax, taxes, transportation

Senate bill would double Illinois state gas tax

By Vincent Caruso

03/22/2019

A bill that would double the gas tax imposed at the state level would drive up Illinoisans’ overall gas burden to second-highest in the nation – while hiking a truckload of other vehicle costs including higher license plate fees.

TAGS: gas tax, taxes, transportation