AUTHOR’S NOTE: The author of this blog post has no intention whatsoever of running against Republican Illinois State Representative Chad Hays and is not in any way affiliated with Better Roads Ahead.
My governor and state representative, Gov. Bruce Rauner (R-IL) and State Rep. Chad Hays (R-Catlin, IL), helped raid hundreds of millions of dollars from funds collected from state gasoline taxes, which are supposed to be used to pay for road construction and maintenance. In typical Illinois fashion, Rauner, Hays, and their ilk decided to use the money for other purposes.
A political front group called Better Roads Ahead, an organization that supports repairing and replacing Illinois’s structurally deficient bridges, sent my household this mailer attacking Rauner and Hays for putting the lives of Illinoisans at risk:
To give readers of this blog post a general idea of how terrible the condition of our nation’s infrastructure is, I strongly recommend reading and viewing this 60 Minutes feature about our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. You’d be absolutely shocked at how terrible the condition of our nation’s roads, railroads, and bridges are.
I find it highly disgusting that Rauner, Hays, and their ilk would use taxpayer money collected from state gasoline taxes, which are supposed to be used to fund road construction and maintenance here in Illinois, and use the money for other purposes. I would only support raiding transportation funds and using them for other purposes if our state’s politicians literally had no other option available to them to balance the state budget. The actions of our state’s politicians could result in bridge collapses that could kill tens of people. After all, if it happened in Minnesota, it could certainly happen here in Illinois.
To put it mildly, Illinoisans simply cannot afford the Rahm-Rauner-Hays corporate agenda, especially when it comes to transportation.
The Progressive Midwesterner 
I got the same mailer with my new rep and senator called out on it.
It says: “For years, Illinois legislators have used your gas tax dollars – intended to keep roads and bridges safe – to pay for pet projects and plug budget holes.”
Gov. Rauner and my Rep and Sen haven’t been in Springfield “for years.”
Why the scare tactics now?
Gov. Quinn and the Democrats had a super-majority in Illinois “for years” and still have a super-majority in the House and Senate. So… they were/are the ones who absconded the funds.
Who is behind the mailer? The website is registered in Provo, Utah. Construction unions? They don’t identify themselves. What a waste of money. They should just talk to Madigan and Cullerton…
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