Baldermann Furious At Rahm’s Call For Gas Tax Increase

NEW LENOX, IL - New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann told the New Lenox Patch that Tuesday afternoon's press release issued by Chicago Mayor Rahn Emanuel wrongly asserted that Baldermann was one of several Illinois mayors supporting Emanuel's call for a 20 to 30 cent per gallon increase in the state's gas tax to fund a transportation bill.

The increase would fund major road improvements and mass transit in the state.

Baldermann, furious that his name was linked to the Chicago Democrat's initiative, said he was never contacted about voicing support for Emanuel's proposal. Baldermann told Patch the Chicago mayor's staff put his name on the list because Emanuel's staff figured that Baldermann was probably desiring of more funding for public transportation projects because the New Lenox mayor also serves on the Metra Board of Directors.

"I do support a capital bill, but I would not support a significant hike like this," Baldermann said. "I would want to know what is in the capital bill, and is there going to be (more) money for Metra?"

Baldermann told Patch he would call Rahm Emanuel's press staff to remove his name from the list of Illinois mayors listed on the Chicago mayor's press release.

"In no way, shape or form do I support that," Baldermann said, adding that he was extremely grateful to the New Lenox Patch for reaching out to him for comment rather than just accepting Mayor Emanuel's press release as gospel.

"They never even asked for my support," Baldermann said, raising his voice. "I never heard a thing about this until (New Lenox Patch) called me. I didn't sign off. I wasn't even at the Mayor's Caucus meeting where this discussed. As of right now, no way in the world would I support a 20 to 30 cent gas tax."

At a news conference in City Hall Tuesday, Emanuel said that two dozen states have raised their gas tax since 2012, and Illinois' gas tax has remained frozen at 34 cents a gallon since 1990. He said Illinois "can't wait any longer."

“For Illinois to maintain its status as the transportation hub of the nation, we need to make major infrastructure investments to support our transportation systems,” Mayor Emanuel said in a media release.

“In addition to critical funding to replace aging roads and bridges, sustained, flexible revenues need to flow directly to public transit. As the backbone of our larger transportation network and a stimulator of economic development, transit needs a dedicated, reliable revenue source so that we can continue to modernize and grow the system.”

During the Tuesday news conference, Emanuel was joined by members of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, which represents 275 communities and more than 9 million residents in northeastern Illinois.

“All funding options need to be on the table,” said Park Forest Mayor John Ostenburg and chairman of the mayors caucus in a statement. “Revenue sources that have traditionally funded roads and transit in the past can support our needs today. However, with the continued emergence of new transportation technologies, they won’t last long. We need to have the courage and foresight to experiment and pilot new sources of revenue for infrastructure.”

Emanuel has previously said that before he leaves in May, he would call for a state capital bill to fix the state's infrastructure.

On Tuesday, Emanuel said electric car owners should not be exempt from contributing to the improvements, but did not specify how they would be taxed.

Emanuel appears to have updated a press release issued Tuesday that originally named 26 mayors who are part of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, which represents 275 communities and more than 9 million residents in northeastern Illinois. While many mayors support a new transportation plan, several balked at the gas tax increase. All names had been removed from the release as of Wednesday afternoon.

File image via John Ferak/New Lenox Patch Editor, Patch reporter Amber Fisher in Chicago also contributed to this report.