Vaccine Supply Increasing, New Motor Fuel Tax, April 6 Voting Info and more
Dear Neighbors,
I hope this finds you and family well. As the weather warms up, the birds are singing and people are getting out more to see neighbors they haven’t seen in a year. I hope more of you are getting out to enjoy the sunshine.
The most encouraging news first: We are receiving thousands more vaccines throughout the county, so the chances are you can get a shot soon if you're in the Phase 1b group of those over over 65 or a frontline essential worker. Teachers are continuing to be vaccinated at Round Lake and Stevenson High Schools. Visit our vaccine web page to learn about the various ways you can receive a vaccine. If you're registered in our ALLVAX system you'll get notified when an appointment is available for you. If you have questions or need help with the system, call (847) 377-8130.
Gas Tax Passed
The County Board passed a gas tax of 4 cents a gallon. It will go into effect on July 1. I know this tax may adversely impact many residents who have to drive and I'm certainly sensitive to that. As we work through the pandemic, I fully realize that the timing is not ideal.
Yet I want to tell you why I voted for the tax at this time. The benefits vastly outweigh the drawbacks.
Why do this now? We're severely behind on all of our county highway improvements -- we currently have a backlog of $1.7 billion in projects. Road quality, congestion and railroad freight delays get worse by the day. This winter has ravaged the roads even more.
So the longer we wait, the worse the road situation becomes. Like you, I find the dreadful drive along Routes 120 and 83 during the busiest times of the day to be supremely frustrating -- and unacceptable. For the past 35 years I've lived in Lake County, traffic has only gotten worse. It's time we did something about it.
What will this money be used for? Well, it certainly won't go to Springfield or Washington. It's going into local roads. More specifically, I asked that this money go towards a railroad grade crossing at Route 120 west of Rt. 83 and to modernize Route 83 from Route 137 north of Grayslake North High School. I've been fighting for both projects for years. Another project is called the Route 120 corridor improvement project, which would modernize this highway from Hainesville to Wildwood.
What's the math behind this tax? Keep in mind that inflation makes any road improvement more expensive in the future. A $1 million project would cost $30,000 more next year at an inflation rate of 3%. So doing projects sooner rather than later makes our money go further. And, in case you're wondering, this will not raise your property tax a dime. We've actually lowered our county rate for the past two years and hope to do so this year.
Okay, so what about people who have to drive and don't have the option of working at home? I don't have a reliable crystal ball, but I think gas prices will go down over time, although they may surge in the coming months. Demand for gasoline in recent years has been dropping due to more electric vehicles hitting the road. This trend will continue as every major vehicle maker converts their fleet to electric cars and trucks. Note: Electric car owners are already paying higher state vehicle registration fees. But that's not good enough to help those whose incomes will get dinged by this tax. This is what I'm doing to address the impact and other concerns about this tax:
1. I've requested that the county board and staff address the equity issue in terms of helping those who have to drive. I have proposed that our key working committees draft a transportation equity policy that will better help those hit hardest by this tax.
2. I've reached out to leaders in underserved and faith communities to address this issue. Unlike the past, they will be part of this ongoing dialogue with the county and transportation officials.
3. I've engaged with the environmental community to see how a comprehensive policy can green our infrastructure while making public transportation and paratransit more accessible.
4. Since the Biden Administration is proposing a major infrastructure bill, we will likely get federal dollars. As legislative chair, I've been lobbying our Congressional delegation to fund local projects. The more money we can put on the table, the more federal (and possibly state/local) dollars we can leverage. This means we can get more bang for our buck and fund more projects. With the passage of the federal American Rescue Act, Lake County is due to receive some $135 million, so short-term needs like rental/utility/small business assistance will be funded.
Hands down, though, the most compelling reason I voted for this tax is public safety. Grayslake has some of the most dangerous roads and intersections in the county and five railroad crossings. With more freight trains coming through, this is an undeniable growing problem. I know it's going to get worse because I've been negotiating with the Canadian National Railroad over the past two years to try to ease this ongoing burden to our community. At my request, the railroad is currently talking with our county highway engineers and the Village of Grayslake to find a route to a solution, which will have to include a grade crossing at Route 83 and 120. We've waited long enough for some action. I want to push forward.
Ultimately, if we do this right, we can build highways that will get you home and to work sooner. We will also overhaul our public transit system to better serve those who need buses and trains to get around. We're also building more pedestrian/bike paths and sidewalks.
Sitting in an idling vehicle is rarely time well spent. You'll even save more gas by not sitting in traffic getting zero miles to the gallon.
Route 83
Still on the topic of highways, last week I watched consultants for the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) present a plan for the modernization of Route 83 from Rt. 137 through Grayslake to Route 132 in Lake Villa.
This project has been "on the books" since 2012 and is designed to make this perennial vexing bottleneck safer and ease traffic flow. The plan I saw -- with four lanes, medians, turning lanes and adjacent bike/pedestrian paths -- proposes to alleviate the traffic and flooding problems that have plagued this corridor for decades.
One thing I discovered in watching this presentation is that our stretch of Route 83/Barron Blvd. is one of the most treacherous highways in the county: There have been more than 1,000 accidents along this route in recent years. That needs to change, of course, but like the other highway improvements mentioned above, it will take tens of millions of dollars from local, county, state and federal sources to fix. I'm lobbying for the money to do the job. For more information, click here.
Forest Preserve News
I'm happy to report that our Forest Preserve Preservation Foundation is funding a project to grow select, rare prairie plants. Our Rollins Savanna Seed Nursery will be the main location for this effort.
Keep in mind that you can donate to our foundation: Your donation will fund an array of preservation programs from Blandings Turtle breeding to larger restoration efforts. Learn more at this link.
Another new Forest Preserve project is the addition of a beer garden at Independence Grove, which will be situated at the preserve's Beach House. We will have more details when we get closer to the summer season. As we come out of the pandemic, we are looking for ways to restore our normal suite of services from picnic permits to facility rentals. Stay tuned for more details.
Don't forget to vote in the municipal elections on April 6. There are myriad seats open on school, township and village boards. These folks decide how the bulk of your tax dollars are spent. Please note that the Fremont 110 precinct has been moved out of the Byron Colby Barn to the Forest Preserve offices on Winchester just East of Rt. 45. This is for public safety reasons (COVID). I am hoping we can have all of the Prairie Crossing precincts re-consolidated for the 2022 election. Early voting starts soon. Thanks for your patience.
If you need help with food, rental/housing or other social services, please call the United Way of Lake County 2-1-1 line. I'm also happy to speak to your community group either live or virtually.
Be safe and well!
