Springfield 'thefts' led to transit issues

For years tobacco and alcohol have been the favorite cash cows for Springfield lawmakers. So it hardly surprising that some lawmakers are floating the idea of a 90 cents-per-pack tax to bail out mass transit.

Because Illinois imposes a sales tax on motor fuel, it has one of the highest tax rates on gasoline in the country. Illinois also has the highest flat rate motor vehicle registration fee in the country.

For years, lawmakers of both parties have been diverting the revenue, about $260-280 million annually, from the sales tax on motor fuel to the general revenue fund.

In addition to road and bridge maintenance and repair, some of this revenue should have been used to support mass transit. But no, lawmakers diverted the money to the general revenue fund and now there are threats of drastic service cuts, increased fares and layoffs for mass transit because of a lack of funding.

Over the years, lawmakers have robbed the motor fuel fund of billions, so I say not one more penny in taxes more to bail out mass transit.

Raise fares for the riders of mass transit, cut service and lay off employees if that is what must be done. But no more taxes on cigarettes, alcohol or any other service or product to bail out mass transit.

Victor Darst

West Dundee