Hooray for Illinois 'Lock Box' Amendment

This retired 42-year veteran of the logistics industry was gratified the 'Lock Box' amendment to the Illinois Constitution was overwhelmingly approved 79% to 21% Tuesday. It prevents the governor and legislature from raiding user fees paid by motorists to shore up our crumbling infrastructure, to pay for non-infrastructure items starved for cash by an inadequate. regressive tax structure. The amendment gives hope Illinois can start creating a 21st century infrastructure vital for an economic revival and protect us 13 million Illinoisans from harm's way traveling a disgraceful transportation network. 

Opponents fretted Lock Box would cause crippling cuts to education, health and public welfare. Any such cuts will be the responsibility of a state government which clings to one of the lowest state income taxes in the country, and a flat rate regressive one, at that. Many states have a higher state income tax and a progressive one at that, Most state leaders and politicians support a progressive income tax in theory, but refuse to implement in governance. Why? It's politically expedient to ignore adopting a sensible tax structure when you have a tempting transportation piggybank to raid. With that crutch gone, Illinois legislators might finally be motivated to do the right thing and amend the Illinois Constitution to create the drastically needed progressive tax. It's a hard slog to amend: 60% of both legislative branches must approve six months or more the next general election in November, 2018. Then 60% of voters must approve on election day. Both tests were widely exceeded for Lock Box because economic growth, public safety and simple fairness prevailed. With similar resolve, a progressive income tax will become available in two years. In the meantime, Governor Rauner and legislative leaders must implement sensible spending cuts with a modest income tax hike to replace their reprehensible midnight forays on the infrastructure stash.        

Improved infrastructure and a sensible, progressive tax. That's what we with a tad of common sense and wisdom call a 'twofer'.