Although Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and others are floating the idea of a 20- to 30-cent-per-gallon tax hike to fund infrastructure projects, at least one township supervisor is against the plan.
“A gas hike to pay for infrastructure? Seriously?” said Michelle L. Mayol, township supervisor of Cunningham Township in Urbana. “Where? Chicago? Nowhere downstate is going to see any of that money.”
Mayol made her remarks during an interview with the Chambana Sun after the Washington Free Beacon reported Emanuel and some suburban mayors had pitched the tax hike to the General Assembly.
According to the Beacon, the mayors suggested the new General Assembly pass the gas tax to fund road maintenance.
Mayol expressed skepticism over the plan’s necessity.
“There is nothing new being built, refurbished or repaired anywhere south of Chicago,” she said. “Maybe Mayor Emanuel and the other suburban mayors should look deeper into where the hell the lottery money is going and why there are so many struggling school districts.”
Mayol suggested Priztker’s support of the tax hike was surprising, considering he hasn’t even taken office yet.
“J.B. Pritzker should not be on board with or even consider raising the gas tax,” Mayol said. “He needs to take the time to sit down and review the state budget, study the state budget, improve the state budget and figure out a way to turn Illinois around. Not put it on the map for the highest motor fuel tax in the U.S.
“Thousands of residents have already left Illinois,” she said. “How many more do they want to lose? Do they even care? People are being taxed out of their homes, and now (out of) the state.”
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