Lobbyists tell Will County energy bill narrows county solar authority; transit funding shifts to motor-fuel revenue with toll increases

Matt from Max Strategies told the Will County committee the two-week fall veto session produced two items of particular local interest: an energy bill that tightened state restrictions on county siting and permitting authority for solar projects, and a mass-transit funding package that dedicates ongoing motor-fuel tax revenue to transit rather than to IDOT road construction and pairs that shift with a tollway rate increase.

"The legislation essentially tightened even further, or limited even further, county's ability to regulate, solar farms and solar projects," Matt said, referencing provisions that passed both chambers and are expected to be signed by the governor. He described the change as similar to earlier proposals the county had monitored.

Matt said lawmakers settled a mass-transit funding plan that will dedicate motor-fuel tax dollars to transit on an ongoing basis and will raise tollway tolls by 45' for passenger autos and 30' for commercial vehicles; he said the increases are expected to take effect in July and are part of negotiations needed to address revenue needs and labor concerns. The transit plan replaces previously proposed revenue streams that had not advanced in the House, and leaders negotiated toll increases as a trade-off to maintain highway-construction investment in tollway areas.

Committee members asked Max Strategies to provide a veto-session summary highlighting which bills included tax increases and whether any bills carried unfunded mandates for county government. Matt agreed to prepare a written summary and to answer specific questions from committee members via staff.