SPRINGFIELD — The price motorists pay at the pump for gasoline would double to 38 cents per gallon under legislation the Illinois House has adopted.
The House voted 83-29 Saturday night to increase the motor fuel tax to pay for upgrades to roads, bridges, public transit, railroads and other improvements. It would produce more than $1 billion next year.
It's one of the major tax increases Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed to finance his $45 billion infrastructure improvement program.
It would take effect when signed into law. But it's part of the Illinois budget package the Senate must endorse when it returns to Springfield Sunday.
Democrats have an extraordinary majority in the House and approval required a three-fifths majority 71 votes to pass. But Republicans are on board because they agree the state's infrastructure is in poor shape.
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This story will be updated.
