County is using budget trick on gas tax

Officials in Kane County want to raise the gas tax by 2 cents. The part they are saying very quietly is that they are not going to use a lot of it for roads.

In 1989, the state of Illinois allowed Kane, DuPage, Lake, McHenry and Will counties to impose their own gas tax. In 1991 Kane County officials passed a resolution mirroring state law by stating that proceeds from the tax could be used "solely for the purpose of operating, constructing and improving public highways and waterways, and acquiring real property and rights of way for public highways and waterways in Kane County."

That seems very straightforward. But, as I read the County budget, they will be taking a little over $1 million from RTA sales tax revenue and move it to the general fund "based on the understanding that the Local County Motor Fuel Tax will be increased from 4 cents to 6 cents per gallon July 1, 2022."

They are going to take more money from the RTA fund to use in the general fund and replace the RTA money with gas tax money.

The state statute could not be clearer, and the county resolution could not be clearer: the gas tax is to be used exclusively for building and repairing roads in Kane County. It was not intended to be transferred into other funds where it can be used any way they see fit.

Bradley Sauer

Sugar Grove