With gas tax revenues sliding, Illinois weighs road mileage tax

Illinois State Senator Ram Villivalam is proposing a “road usage charge” to help stabilize the dwindling flow of taxpayer funding used for infrastructure.

As more and more vehicles require less gas and some not at all, revenues generated by the gas tax used to pay for road, bridge and public transportation improvements across the state has slipped.  Villivalam’s pilot program proposal has the public support of Engineers Local 150 Executive Director Marc Poulos who said the current system is archaic.

While Illinois could join such states as California and Pennsylvania in launching such pilot programs, some lawmakers in Springfield like Republican State Representative Chris Miller said the plan will just another tax on middle class and working families.

Story from Illinois Radio Network