Will County Gazette

Illinois State Representative Travis Weaver has criticized a recently passed mass transit funding bill, claiming it diverts funds meant for downstate road repairs to support Chicago transit agencies. Weaver expressed his concerns on Facebook, stating that Democrats rushed the legislation through during a late-night session.

"After facing pushback for their ridiculous amusement tax and event surcharge fee proposals to bail out Chicago mass transit, Democrats quietly amended their bill last night during the waning hours of veto session," said Travis Robert Weaver, Illinois State Representative for 93rd District (R), according to Facebook. "Thousands of dollars that Central Illinoisans are already paying in motor fuel taxes that are supposed to fix our area roads and bridges are now being funneled to bail out Chicago mass transit. These shady tactics only further erode public trust in this state government. Democrats have once again put politics before people, and it's a disgrace and insult to all Illinoisans."

In the closing hours of the 2025 fall veto session, Illinois lawmakers approved Senate Bill 2111. The bill aims to address potential service cuts for agencies under the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), including the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace Suburban Bus. The legislation reallocates funding from motor-fuel sales tax, Road Fund interest, and increases in the RTA region sales tax to generate approximately $1.5 billion in new revenue while reforming transit governance. Capitol News Illinois and Axios reported that this move was prompted by warnings of a "fiscal cliff" threatening major service reductions.

According to statistics from the Illinois Department of Transportation's 2024 Motor Fuel Tax Allotment, about $1.18 billion was allocated to the Road Fund & State Construction Account, with $31.49 million directed to Downstate Mass Transit from fuel tax revenues. This allocation highlights how fuel tax revenue is divided between highway infrastructure and transit needs.

A draft report by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois indicates that state operating support for the RTA system was among the lowest compared to other large urban systems in 2019. While a new package set for 2025 will add roughly $1 billion in operating revenue, projected gaps of about $834 million could still occur by 2027 without further reforms or revenue changes. This reflects a decade-long trend of limited state support for Chicago-area transit.

Weaver is a Republican member representing Illinois' 93rd District since January 2023. His official biography notes his educational background with a BA in finance and marketing from the University of Alabama and an MBA from Northwestern University. He previously worked in strategy and finance at Caterpillar and serves on several committees including Revenue & Finance, Public Utilities, and Energy & Environment. Weaver has shown legislative interest in transportation funding and state budgeting.