Latest news with #SenateTransportationCommittee
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Editorial: Strapped for time, Springfield punts on transit funding and reform
State lawmakers left a large pile of major issues on their agenda for the waning hours of the 2025 spring session. Very few of them were addressed other than the must-pass budget for fiscal 2026. Color us unsurprised. Despite a $1 billion shortfall that had to be plugged, the $55 billion budget proved to be anticlimactic, largely hewing to the outline Gov. JB Pritzker offered in February. So what passed for news in the capital emanated mainly from what didn't happen rather than what did. At the top of that list was the fiscal crisis the Chicago-area's public transit agencies are facing, which those agencies have said will mean substantial service reductions if Springfield doesn't act in the coming months. Following the end of the session, Pritzker and legislative leaders said the General Assembly likely would take the unusual step of acting over the summer on the issue. That's good. For the sake of commuters and the region's economy, they should act well before what would normally be the next opportunity — the fall veto session in November. Springfield should learn from the mistakes of the just-concluded session. Everyone has known for over a year that a transit overhaul and rescue needs to happen, and yet the effort still turned into the equivalent of an all-nighter for a student who hasn't done the coursework over the semester. The mad scramble for funding sources to plug the transit agencies' $770 million budget hole foundered, as rank-and-file lawmakers, stakeholders and most importantly the public were given no time for due consideration and feedback. The typical Springfield gambit of waiting until the eleventh hour to spring controversial initiatives on the public in order to keep determined opposition from forming backfired spectacularly. First, late last week state Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Ram Villavalam, D-Chicago, proposed a package of revenue generators including a 50-cent surcharge on tolls, a redirection of suburban sales taxes to transit, higher suburban real estate transfer taxes and a region-wide tax on Ubers and Lyfts. Suburban officials predictably balked at the lopsided nature of that 'deal,' creating the need for an immediate Plan B. Villavalam pivoted with only hours to spare to a $1.50 charge on delivery of most retail products. The Senate approved the so-called pizza tax, the derisive sobriquet effectively wielded by opponents, by a 10-vote margin, but the House left town without acting, an acknowledgement the votes weren't there. That proposal deserved to die. Among other things, there's no logical reason downstate Illinoisans should pay an extra $1.50 on deliveries mainly to bail out bus and train service in the Chicago area. Making the idea worse was that Democrats in the Senate added a provision forbidding retailers (yes, like pizza makers) from showing the tax in a separate line item on their receipts. Nothing says confidence in your own policy-making like doing your utmost to keep consumers (most of whom double as voters) from understanding why their costs have risen so much. It was the Democratic version of President Donald Trump's temper tantrum in late April when news surfaced that Amazon was considering showing customers the cost of tariffs in their product purchases from its low-cost website dubbed Haul. So when lawmakers reconvene to take another stab at transit reform and funding, they should learn from this setback and embrace transparency. They must be more open with the public about the tax and fee mechanisms on the table and allow time for feedback. As we said last week before the unproductive weekend in the capital began, safe and reliable public transit is critical to the region and the state. And the need for more revenue is inescapable. But public acceptance of whatever funding solution emerges, even if grudging, is critical to ensuring this rescue mission succeeds. And to win that support, Springfield must break with the cloak-and-dagger machinations and engage the public. For the lawmakers, there's really nothing to lose at this point by being transparent given that people now have seen the sausage-making. Thirty-two senators are on record having voted for the pizza tax and have nothing to show for it. While we acknowledge that settling on an appropriate source of money is delicate and complicated, we believe it's not impossible to find a means the public can accept. But to achieve that, a proposal must have two attributes. First, it has to be broadly and fairly distributed among constituencies who have a legitimate stake in the future of public transit — including, by the way, those paying CTA bus and train fares that could stand to rise a little, if only to $3 or $3.50. Second, it must be related as directly as possible to the issue at hand. Part of the problem here is that Chicago's disastrous privatization of parking meters and the Chicago Skyway has reduced some of the logical levers and private garages already are drowning in some of the highest tax rates in the nation. Still, ride-share taxes are clearly in the same world. So for that matter is congestion pricing. Congestion pricing in New York, even though it has been the subject of controversy, has the virtue of generating revenue for public transportation in a city that is traffic-choked by any definition. That is not to say we're advocating congestion pricing for Chicago; indeed, we have editorialized against such a charge out of concern for the massive potential harm to downtown Chicago, which needs more activity, not less. But at least congestion pricing in support of public transit can be defended on grounds that the two are related. To its credit, Springfield made substantial progress on giving regional transit officials far more power over local systems such as the Chicago Transit Authority. Those governance provisions, which appeared to have broad support in both chambers, are crucial to giving Illinoisans outside Chicago confidence that they're not bailing out an unpopular city government without appropriate safeguards. We also see the logic of sending some money from whatever Springfield raises to improve transit downstate. That's only fair. Failure isn't an option. Come back to Springfield this summer, lawmakers, and get this needed transit reform done the right way. Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@
Chicago Tribune
03-06-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Strapped for time, Springfield punts on transit funding and reform
State lawmakers left a large pile of major issues on their agenda for the waning hours of the 2025 spring session. Very few of them were addressed other than the must-pass budget for fiscal 2026. Color us unsurprised. Despite a $1 billion shortfall that had to be plugged, the $55 billion budget proved to be anticlimactic, largely hewing to the outline Gov. JB Pritzker offered in February. So what passed for news in the capital emanated mainly from what happen rather than what did. At the top of that list was the fiscal crisis the Chicago-area's public transit agencies are facing, which those agencies have said will mean substantial service reductions if Springfield doesn't act in the coming months. Following the end of the session, Pritzker and legislative leaders said the General Assembly likely would take the unusual step of acting over the summer on the issue. That's good. For the sake of commuters and the region's economy, they should act well before what would normally be the next opportunity — the fall veto session in November. Springfield should learn from the mistakes of the just-concluded session. Everyone has known for over a year that a transit overhaul and rescue needs to happen, and yet the effort still turned into the equivalent of an all-nighter for a student who hasn't done the coursework over the semester. The mad scramble for funding sources to plug the transit agencies' $770 million budget hole foundered, as rank-and-file lawmakers, stakeholders and most importantly the public were given no time for due consideration and feedback. The typical Springfield gambit of waiting until the eleventh hour to spring controversial initiatives on the public in order to keep determined opposition from forming backfired spectacularly. First, late last week state Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Ram Villavalam, D-Chicago, proposed a package of revenue generators including a 50-cent surcharge on tolls, a redirection of suburban sales taxes to transit, higher suburban real estate transfer taxes and a region-wide tax on Ubers and Lyfts. Suburban officials predictably balked at the lopsided nature of that 'deal,' creating the need for an immediate Plan B. Villavalam pivoted with only hours to spare to a $1.50 charge on delivery of most retail products. The Senate approved the so-called pizza tax, the derisive sobriquet effectively wielded by opponents, by a 10-vote margin, but the House left town without acting, an acknowledgement the votes weren't there. That proposal deserved to die. Among other things, there's no logical reason downstate Illinoisans should pay an extra $1.50 on deliveries mainly to bail out bus and train service in the Chicago area. Making the idea worse was that Democrats in the Senate added a provision forbidding retailers (yes, like pizza makers) from showing the tax in a separate line item on their receipts. Nothing says confidence in your own policy-making like doing your utmost to keep consumers (most of whom double as voters) from understanding why their costs have risen so much. It was the Democratic version of President Donald Trump's temper tantrum in late April when news surfaced that Amazon was considering showing customers the cost of tariffs in their product purchases from its low-cost website dubbed Haul. So when lawmakers reconvene to take another stab at transit reform and funding, they should learn from this setback and embrace transparency. They must be more open with the public about the tax and fee mechanisms on the table and allow time for feedback. As we said last week before the unproductive weekend in the capital began, safe and reliable public transit is critical to the region and the state. And the need for more revenue is inescapable. But public acceptance of whatever funding solution emerges, even if grudging, is critical to ensuring this rescue mission succeeds. And to win that support, Springfield must break with the cloak-and-dagger machinations and engage the public. For the lawmakers, there's really nothing to lose at this point by being transparent given that people now have seen the sausage-making. Thirty-two senators are on record having voted for the pizza tax and have nothing to show for it. While we acknowledge that settling on an appropriate source of money is delicate and complicated, we believe it's not impossible to find a means the public can accept. But to achieve that, a proposal must have two attributes. First, it has to be broadly and fairly distributed among constituencies who have a legitimate stake in the future of public transit — including, by the way, those paying CTA bus and train fares that could stand to rise a little, if only to $3 or $3.50. Second, it must be related as directly as possible to the issue at hand. Part of the problem here is that Chicago's disastrous privatization of parking meters and the Chicago Skyway has reduced some of the logical levers and private garages already are drowning in some of the highest tax rates in the nation. Still, ride-share taxes are clearly in the same world. So for that matter is congestion pricing. Congestion pricing in New York, even though it has been the subject of controversy, has the virtue of generating revenue for public transportation in a city that is traffic-choked by any definition. That is not to say we're advocating congestion pricing for Chicago; indeed, we have editorialized against such a charge out of concern for the massive potential harm to downtown Chicago, which needs more activity, not less. But at least congestion pricing in support of public transit can be defended on grounds that the two are related. To its credit, Springfield made substantial progress on giving regional transit officials far more power over local systems such as the Chicago Transit Authority. Those governance provisions, which appeared to have broad support in both chambers, are crucial to giving Illinoisans outside Chicago confidence that they're not bailing out an unpopular city government without appropriate safeguards. We also see the logic of sending some money from whatever Springfield raises to improve transit downstate. That's only fair. Failure isn't an option. Come back to Springfield this summer, lawmakers, and get this needed transit reform done the right way.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mecklenburg transit bill's chances remain '50-50,' Republican senators say
Senator Vickie Sawyer, who filed Mecklenburg County's tax bill to revamp the area's transit system, said the bill has '50-50′ chances of passing. Sawyer represents northern Mecklenburg County and Iredell County. She is also the chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. She filed Senate Bill 145 in January. But the bill has yet to move forward, the Charlotte Observer reported. The bill filed would allow Mecklenburg County to add a sales tax referendum on the ballot. It would propose a one-cent sales tax to pay for roads and public transit. It would require 40% of the tax revenue to go toward road projects and 60% to go to fund public transit, according to the Charlotte Observer. Transportation needs are the 'No. 1 issue' for lawmakers, Sawyer told the Charlotte Observer. And she said this is true for lawmakers across the state, not just in Mecklenburg County. 'I've said this from the very beginning, we have to look at a statewide approach to transportation funding,' Sawyer said. 'And if Mecklenburg County should get this, then every county should have the same opportunity, right?' She said representatives across the state need to provide more tools for their counties. 'I see a statewide approach as an ability to do that, and it doesn't mean the one-size-fits-all,' Sawyer said. Sawyer told the Charlotte Observer that Charlotte has a need for public transit, but Iredell needs to address orphan roads that were never transferred to the state or municipality for maintenance. READ: Transit momentum: Newly filed bill would allow sales tax increase for transit Senate leader Phil Berger told reporters that he believes the bill will move forward during this legislative session. 'I think it's still something that folks are interested in getting across the finish line,' Berger told reporters. 'We've just continued to have conversations, and I'm still of the opinion that it's something that we will see pass.' She said the Republican party is making efforts not to be 'picking winners and losers.' And she said it is hard to find support for a tax increase from Senate Republicans. Union County Republican Senator Todd Johnson told the Charlotte Observer that he doesn't think the bill has a chance. He said that Union and Iredell Counties would be the 'losers' if this bill passed. 'The only way to appropriately address the issue would either be one of two things: do nothing, or a statewide approach, because when you're cherry-picking one particular county, municipality, any subdivision of government, then there's obviously going to be winners and losers from that,' Johnson said. The southern edge of Mooresville in Iredell had been included in the plans for the Red Line, which is first on Charlotte's project list. But some Iredell County officials have expressed concerns over allowing the Red Line to extend into their county. Johnson said the bill needs too much work to be placed on this year's ballot. But Sawyer said the timing depends on how the rest of the session goes. WATCH: Transit momentum: Newly filed bill would allow sales tax increase for transit
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
REAL ID deadline is here but travelers who missed it may still be able to fly
Even without a REAL ID driver's license, travelers may still fly after clearing additional security screenings, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday. May 7 was the latest deadline for complying with the requirement enacted by Congress 20 years ago. ( photo) Though Wednesday is the enforcement date for the national REAL ID law, air travelers without the form of identification may still be able to fly — a concession drawing praise from a Kentucky lawmaker. Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, had sent Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem a letter asking for more time to comply with the law. On Tuesday, Higdon said he appreciated Noem's 'showing common sense and flexibility' by allowing travelers without a REAL ID to still fly after clearing additional security screenings. Sen. Jimmy Higdon, R-Lebanon, chairs the Senate Transportation Committee. (LRC Public Information) Congress passed the REAL ID Act in 2005 after the 9/11 attacks in 2001 as a way to bolster security screenings at airports. Most of the 9/11 hijackers boarded commercial planes using fraudulent U.S. driver's licenses and state IDs. The law was originally intended to go into effect in 2008 but has been delayed several times. Kentucky began rolling out REAL ID drivers' licenses in 2019 starting with a pilot program. Licenses compliant with the federal law require applicants to provide additional documentation, such as a birth certificate, Social Security card and two proofs of residency. REAL ID or another compliant form of identification is also now required to enter military bases or federal buildings that require it. As Wednesday's deadline approached, Kentucky's driver's licensing regional offices have had long lines. In addition to the REAL ID implementation, a state law went into effect this year requiring drivers to pass a vision test when renewing their licenses. Noem said during a U.S. House hearing Tuesday that airport travelers without a REAL ID will face additional security screenings but may still fly. Instead of REAL ID driver's licenses, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will also accept U.S. passports, passport cards, global entry cards or military ID from those boarding commercial flights. Last month, 28 Republican members of the Kentucky Senate sent Noem a letter asking for a delay in enforcing the REAL ID law. Higdon, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, wrote at the time that 'Kentucky is simply not fully prepared for complete implementation.' A spokesperson for the Republican caucus said that while it did not receive a formal response from Homeland Security, Noem and the Trump administration were aware of the letter. On Tuesday, Higdon issued a statement thanking Noem. 'Her remarks today bring peace of mind to folks who've dealt with long lines, limited appointments at regional offices, or confusion about what's required,' Higdon said. 'Kentuckians who haven't been able to get a REAL ID can now feel confident they'll still be able to fly. That was one of the biggest concerns my colleagues and I had as the May 7 enforcement approached.' Higdon added that the flexibility allows Kentucky additional time to carry out a law that passed earlier this year allowing third-party license renewals. That takes effect on June 27. Last week, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear announced a 'Skip the Line' option for drivers who want to renew their licenses remotely. A press release from the governor's office said that some Kentuckians who want to upgrade to a REAL ID license may still need to visit an office in person. Kentuckians may still upgrade to a REAL ID after Wednesday's enforcement date.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
What's driving up gas prices in Washington and 4 ways you can save
Drivers in Washington are frustrated at the high price of gas and the condition of the state's highways. Despite the Evergreen State having the third-highest gas tax in the country, our roads consistently rank among the top 10 for worst roads in the country. Construction Coverage ranks Washington as the #10 state with the worst roads, and U.S. News and World Report ranks Washington #7 for worst road quality. State lawmakers are pointing the finger at inflation. 'We see egg prices at the grocery store. Well, concrete prices have been going up even faster,' said Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee. 'So buying power for our transportation investments is falling short each year. And that means we're repaving less and less highway,' he said. That was the biggest driver behind lawmakers passing an additional six-cent tax per gallon on gasoline over the weekend. But the factors making fuel so expensive in the Evergreen State go far beyond taxes - and will continue to drive up costs for drivers. GAX TAX: The change in the gas tax will kick in July 1, 2025, increasing the rate from 49.4 cents to 55.4 cents per gallon. Making fuel even more expensive, the gas tax will also increase by 2% every year. Diesel drivers will see a hike too - 3 cents in July, and another 3 cents in 2027, then a 2 percent hike annually starting the following year. Over six years, the new tax will raise $3.2 billion for the state's transportation budget. Drivers KIRO 7 spoke with are somewhere between furious and disappointed. 'Yeah, it sucks,' said Joel Garland, a driver from Federal Way. 'The regular people were struggling just to try to survive already,' he said. Gas taxes in Washington state are the third highest in the country already, behind California and Pennsylvania. The six-cent increase keeps us in third place, but it doesn't count in other factors driving up the price. Why is gasoline already so expensive in Washington? Our state has no income tax, so lawmakers heavily rely on the gas tax to fund road projects. The state constitution mandates that gas tax funding be used for things like building and repairing roads and Washington State Patrol policing highways. 'The highest portion of our revenues is the gas tax. It's unfortunate that it's that way, but the reality is if you're going to raise money, you have to raise the gas taxes,' said Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, who chairs the House Transportation Committee. GEOGRAPHY: Another reason for our more expensive fuel: Washington's primary petroleum supplier is pricier, coming from Alaska and Canada instead of the South or Southeast because of geography - the mountain ranges block easy transport of crude oil to the west. The bulk of Washington's crude oil is turned into gasoline at one of our state's five refineries. CAP AND TRADE: Plus, Washington's Climate Commitment Act, or cap and trade program, charges the state's biggest carbon emitters for carbon credits past a certain level. Companies end up passing that cost along to you. 'Anytime a gallon of gas is sold in Washington State, whether it is produced in state or out of state, it gets taxed,' said Todd Myers, vice president of research at the Washington Policy Center. The think tank has been critical of Washington's cap and trade policy. It says currently, cap and trade adds about 40 cents per gallon for the consumer (though the Washington Department of Ecology believes the number is lower). And brace yourselves - soon, you'll be shelling out even more. In 2030, Washington is dramatically lowering its carbon emissions target, which means companies will have to pay even more for credits - and you'll likely pay more to fill up. 'Should people really be preparing to pay significantly more at the pump?' KIRO7's Deedee Sun asked Myers. 'Yeah, absolutely,' he said. 'The only question is how much more,' Myers said. People say the gas prices are surging at a time when they're already concerned about making ends meet. 'What would you say to your constituents who are worried?' KIRO7's Deedee Sun asked Sen. Liias, D-Edmonds. 'Construction inflation has moved faster even than inflation,' Liias said. He says that's part of the reason why the state's transportation budget faced such a big budget gap. 'I'm seeing more potholes than I can remember in my lifetime on our highways,' he said. He points to aging infrastructure – like the Fairfax Bridge to Mount Rainier that had to be shut down this month, to things like repair work such as Revive I-5. 'That's what the gas tax pays for. So we're trying to balance that with the reality that folks are having a tough time affording,' Liias said. However, KIRO7 discovered, cap and trade is generating more money than expected. 'Why can't we use that money for roads instead?' Sun asked Rep. Fey. 'We made a promise about how this money was going to be spent,' Fey said. Lawmakers say cap and trade money is intended for things that lower greenhouse gases – like electrifying ferries, getting kids free rides on public transit, and adding bike lanes. 'To do a substitution, I think, goes against promises that we made,' Fey said. 'We're doing the best we can,' he said. SAVING AT THE PUMP: So what can you do to save money at the pump? KIRO7 checked in with AAA Washington for tested ways to cut down on spending. 1) You must price compare. Gas Buddy or AAA's apps both help you do that. For example, a Chevron in Renton last week was charging $4.57 per gallon when you pay with credit or debit. A few blocks away, the Fred Meyer was charging $4.19 – or 38 cents less. That's a difference of $300 dollars per year! 2) Remember some stations offer a discount if you pay with cash. That same Renton Chevron was charging 14 cents less per gallon for cash purchasers. 3) Slow down: AAA Washington says, 'reducing highway speeds by 5 to 10 mph can increase fuel economy by as much as 14 percent.' 4) Avoiding excessive idling. AAA says a car engine uses up to half a gallon per hour when idling. Starting up a warm engine uses about 10 seconds worth of fuel. So if you're going to be stopped for more than a minute and it's safe to turn off your car, you'll save fuel if you do so. Meanwhile some drivers say what would help most? 'Well, just quit taxing us,' said Nelson Vitous, a driver in Renton.
