Should tollway have “website of shame” for scofflaws?

SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House Friday rejected by one vote a plan to set up a “website of shame” to display the names of scofflaws owing more than $1,000 in tollway fines.

After the vote, state Rep. Kathleen Willis, an Addison Democrat, said she had intended to vote for it but accidentally didn’t.

Its sponsor, state Rep. Lou Lang, could try again as early as next week.

The proposal would require the Illinois Tollway to contact people who owed fines nine different times before posting their names on the website.

The point, Lang said, is to try to collect the millions of dollars in delinquent tolls owed by drivers.

“This is just an additional tool to embarrass people,” the Skokie Democrat said.

Some Republicans showed concern some drivers might be unfairly named, for instance if others using their cars and racking up fines or a scofflaw was in the process of trying to pay the debt.

“I would not want to see the wrong people posted on the web,” said state Rep. Mike Fortner, a West Chicago Republican.

State Rep. Ron Sandack, a Downers Grove Republican, called Lang’s plan a “website of shame” and voted against it.

The plan has already been approved by the Illinois Senate, so the House’s approval would send it to Gov. Pat Quinn’s desk.

It’s not an entirely new idea in Illinois. The state has a website, www.deadbeatsillinois.com, that displays the names and photos of some people who are behind on child support payments.