A State Representative is calling for a repeal of the gas tax increase, following Martin Sandoval’s committee post resignation last week.
66th District Representative Allen Skillicorn, a Republican of Crystal Lake Illinois, said in a press release today, that legislators should repeal the current tax hike and infrastructure improvement bill and start over in light of the FBI investigation into Sandoval, who Skillicorn called in the announcement the “architect of the recent massive gas tax increase.”
Skillicorn said that “There is no process in the infrastructure bill for which projects will be selected or which companies will be hired to do the work,” and that with the investigation raising questions of possible political kickbacks associated with Sandoval, that there are “no assurances that anything about this bill is above board.”
The $45 billion spending plan calls for $20.6 billion in new borrowing and tax increases, including doubling the motor fuel tax. According to the Civic Federation, the Capital plan signed into law showed “no evidence of comprehensive planning to prioritize projects.” According to the release, additionally, the Capital bill signed into law contains money for a $3 million water park and $100 million for the Arts Council – neither of which have anything to do with transportation. Rep. Skillicorn was quoted as saying that he will be filing legislation to repeal the Capital Bill that could be voted on during the upcoming Veto Session if the legislative leaders in the House and the Senate want to bring it up for vote.