Illinois Road fund raid decried by Democrats and GOP

Democrats and Republicans who represent downstate Illinois are calling on Governor Pat Quinn to put the brakes on a plan to divert money from the state’s highway construction fund.  As part of his proposed budget he wants to spend $85 million from the state’s main road repair fund on mass transit funding centered in Cook County and its suburbs.  The opposition is just one more roadblock Quinn faces as he attempts to move his spending plan through the General Assembly. Along with concerns about proposed cuts to social service programs, the governor is being criticized for wanting to boost overall state spending by more than $1 billion at a time when the state remains mired in debt.  According to a House Democrat analysis of the proposed budget, Quinn would take $48.5 million out of the road fund to help Chicago area transit agencies pay for items like reduced fares for students, seniors and handicapped users.  He also wants to tap the road fund for $37 million to help pay for Amtrak service, which has previously been paid out of the state’s general checkbook.  The road fund is financed by revenue from the state’s gas tax, as well as various vehicle-related fees. The governor’s budget estimates the state portion of the fund will be about $1.3 billion during the fiscal year beginning July 1.  A longtime formula embraced by downstate lawmakers but disliked by Chicago area officials has called for 55 percent of the road fund to go toward areas south of Interstate 80, with 45 percent reserved for road projects in northeastern Illinois.  The Southern Illinoisan 2/22

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