Andrew Cunningham l Executive Director, Infrastructure Council l 217-520-2345

RTA Strategic Plan

On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to attend the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) discussion of their proposed budget and strategic plan. This virtual event functioned as the virtual public hearing on the 2023 Proposed Operating Budget, Two-Year Financial Plan, and Five-Year Capital Program and the final Strategic Plan Movers Workshop.

A main theme reiterated throughout the meeting was the anticipated funding gap that will arise for the RTA in 2026 after federal funding has been exhausted. The budget deficit is projected to be $730 million. There is stable public funding but operating revenue due to fewer fares has been reduced.

Provided below are some of the funding options that the RTA has identified.

• Increase RTA Sales Tax. This option involves an increase of 0.25 percentage points in the existing RTA sales tax levied on Cook County and Collar Counties in the RTA service area. 
• Increase State Motor Fuel Tax. This option involves an increase of $0.05 per gallon in the Illinois Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) levied on the sale of gasoline or diesel, with revenues dedicated to transit operations. 
• Implement Congestion Pricing. This option involves a congestion pricing mechanism to levy a geographic- and/or temporal toll or fee on travel on Chicago area highways into the city with revenues dedicated to transit operations
• Expand RTA sales tax on services. This option involves an expansion in the existing RTA sales tax to cover services, most of which are currently exempt from taxation.
• Implement VMT Tax. This option involves a VMT tax, a tax on the number of miles driven in a vehicle, to replace 5% of state MFT taxes lost by fuel efficiency and EV adoption and dedicate revenues to transit operations. 
• Increase Tollway Tolls. This option involves a 5% increase in tolls on the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (Illinois Tollway), with revenues dedicated to transit operations. 

It was stated during the meeting that these proposals are a part of attempt by the RTA to transition the public mindset so that transit is seen as a "public good" rather than something that should be run as a business.

What was stated in the meeting is that the RTA Gov Affairs team is going to look at which of the above funding options are most feasible and then start to push those options/proposals for action in the General Assembly in 2024. In 2023, the RTA is seeking advocacy partners and attempting to build support for some of the proposed funding options.

I encourage you to read through the strategic plan draft as projected revenue gained from each proposal and feasibility of implementation is provided.

View the five-year strategic plan draft here.

Session Update

After conclusion of business last Thursday afternoon, the Senate released its session calendar for 2023. This week, the House released its 2023 calendar. Lawmakers will return January 4th for the beginning of lame duck session. The 103rd General Assembly will be inaugurated on January 11th.

Rulemaking

In the November 28th edition of the Illinois Register, Issuance of Licenses (92 IAC 1030; 46 Ill Reg 15522) was moved to second notice, commencing the JCAR review period. This rulemaking will be considered at the December 13th meeting in Chicago. This is the proposed rulemaking removing the requirement that Illinois Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants who hold valid out of State CDLs retake their CDL written and pre-trip/skills/road exams. In October, the Illinois Chamber wrote a public comment in support of this rulemaking.

In the December 9th edition of the Illinois Register, The Department of Financial and Professional Regulation adopted amendments to the Part titled Illinois Architecture Practice Act of 1989 (68 IAC 1150; 46 Ill Reg 11026) effective 11/23/22. These amendments streamline prelicensure education by allowing candidates to participate in the national Integrated Path to Licensure program, which allows education requirements and examinations to be completed at the same time, and by allowing DFPR to accept alternative and foreign architect programs approved by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).

Graduates of NCARB approved foreign programs no longer have to establish an NCARB record before requesting an evaluation of their education. Other provisions add sexual harassment prevention training and one hour of education regarding high winds and other natural disasters to continuing education requirements; allow an expedited restoration process for a license that has been inactive for less than 5 (formerly, 3) years; clarify firm registration for limited liability companies; state that licensure applicants have 3 years to complete the application process before the application expires; and expand the historical summary of previous requirements for experience and examination. 



IAAP Holds Annual Convention

This week, the Illinois Association of Aggregate Producers (IAAP) held its annual convention and aggregate miner safety conference in Springfield. It was a pleasure to be in attendance for a portion of the conference and hear informative presentations from the Illinois Tollway and the University of Illinois among other speakers.

Thank you to Dan Eichholz and the IAAP for the invitation and for the advocacy and resources they provide for producers in our state.

Legislative Update

HB 5852, Landscape Architects was introduced. This bill amends the Landscape Architecture Registration Act. Provides that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation may adopt rules of continuing education for persons registered under the Act. Provides that the Department shall consider the recommendations of the Registered Landscape Architecture Registration Board in establishing the guidelines for the continuing education requirements. Provides that these requirements apply to any person seeking renewal or restoration under provisions concerning registration, renewal, and restoration of the Act.

Illinois Chamber Legislative Initiatives

As we approach the end of the year, the Illinois Chamber is finalizing its legislative strategy for the Spring of 2023. If you have any legislative ideas or proposals that you'd like the Chamber to consider supporting or drafting please don't hesitate to reach out.

You can email me at acunningham@ilchamber.org or give me a call at (217) 520-2345.

Articles of Interest  

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