$2.5M in ads spent for Illinois transportation amendment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - An Illinois group that wants to prevent transportation funds from being diverted elsewhere has spent about $2.5 million in television advertising to persuade voters to approve their idea.

Figures released Thursday by the Center for Public Integrity show that Citizens to Protect Transportation Funding has spent the money to air their ads nearly 1,300 times this election cycle.

Since 2003, an estimated $6.8 billion in transportation funds generated by tolls, license fees and the gas tax have been used by state government for other things. That's according to the Transportation for Illinois Coalition.

The so-called "lockbox amendment" on the Nov. 8 ballot proposes the money be used solely for transportation-related purposes.