Will County Gazette

Patty Smith is not a fan of the idea of Illinois lawmakers interjecting themselves deeper into the personal affairs of voters.

“The thought of putting some sort of monitor inside someone’s car to keep track of their travels seems very big brother-ish to me,” Smith told the Will County Gazette. “And just to think, you want people to have to pay for having this done.”

Illinois News Network (INN) reports the idea of a mileage tax has picked up traction in some circles after Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker expressed being open to the possibility earlier this year.

Rep. Stephanie Kifowit

The measure would require motorists to install the device that tracks all the miles they travel, leaving the owner to then reimburse the state based on miles traveled. 

INN estimates the state’s annual infrastructure repair bill will cost approximately $21 billion.

“People in Illinois shoulder enough taxes already and the absolute last thing we need is someone who wants to increase taxes,” said Smith, who is running against Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) in the 84th District. “I don’t find we have a revenue problem as much as a spending one. We need to become more accountable for the spending that goes on in Springfield.”

That all starts with making a plan and sticking to it, Smith said.

“If we sat down and made some form of pension reform instead of just talking about it that would help,” she said. “We need to stop all new government employees from being a part of what we’re currently doing and place them in some other form of program. Pro-business reforms that will attract and keep businesses here are also needed.”

In all her talks with voters, Smith said it’s become clear to her that property taxes are most people’s biggest issue.

“This is very serious and the outmigration it’s led to is very concerning,” she said. “We are already paying among the highest property and income taxes in the nation. We’ve got to put people in Springfield that are common sense people and not trying to solve all our problems off the backs of taxpayers.”

The state and district are worse off than they were before Kifowit took office six years ago, Smith said.

“We’ve lost companies like Butterball and Caterpillar,” she said. “My opponent also voted in favor of the 32-percent income tax increase after she ran three campaigns saying she would not raise taxes on the middle class. She’s fallen into the (House Speaker Mike) Madigan machine and has taken over $750,000 from him. She has sold the voting rights of the district to Mike Madigan.”

The 84th House District includes Aurora, Naperville, Oswego and Wheatland.