Lake County Gazette

On Tuesday, the Lake County Board approved a 4-cent-per-gallon fuel tax to take effect in Lake County starting on July 1 of this year. The measure was approved by the Board by a vote of 14-7. The measure always had enough support to pass, but discussions about the measure were lengthened as all members of the Board made sure to make their opinions known. 

The measure is expected to generate somewhere between $8 million and $11 million in revenue each year to help fund stalled and backlogged road projects, which will enhance transportation in the area. 

The 4-cent-per-gallon tax is actually a watered-down version of the original proposal, which started out at 8-cents-per-gallon. Many board members expressed concern that a tax of 8-cents-per-gallon would harm those that could least afford it. The Board heard weeks of debate on the matter and took input from the public, as well. 

The vote ended along party lines, except for one Democrat, Diane Hewitt of Waukegan, voting against the measure. Hewitt stated that she received over 250 emails from her constituents who opposed the measure and could not vote 'yes' for it when taking that into consideration. 

She said, "My constituents are important to me and they're telling me to vote 'no' on this gas tax. I will not and cannot vote 'yes' for this."

Others chimed in with concerns not about the spirit of the measure, but about the timing. In a time when many are struggling economically, some board members say that now is simply the wrong time to raise taxes. 

Judy Martini was one such member. She said, "You couldn't have asked for a worse time to talk about increasing taxes."

She also stressed the fact that the county already has people leaving it. This measure, she says, would make things worse.