Kane County Reporter

Republican state Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) wonders when logic will come to Springfield.

“I don’t know how politicians in their own mind can justify just continuing to raise taxes on people and never moving to try to be more efficient,” Ugaste told Kane County Reporter. “I have a bill right now that would consolidate the comptroller and treasurer’s office that’s still sitting in committee. I filed it in early February, but it hasn’t moved at all because we're too busy figuring out other ways to tax people with not much to show for it.”

Ugaste said Senate Bill 103 would be just more of the same. The gas tax-hike proposal now floating through the legislature would double current rates and make Illinois home to the second-highest overall gas-tax burden in the country.

State Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva)

Under the measure, the state’s gas tax would jump from 19 cents to 38 cents by July, with taxes steadily increasing based on a formula tied to inflation. Annual license-plate and registration fees would also increase by no less than $50.

“It’s just more taxing and spending, while other kinds of bills don’t even make it to the floor,” said Ugaste, who won his seat in the 65th District in November with 52 percent of the vote. “I also have a bill that would create savings on workmen’s compensation that’s still just sitting in committee. The deadline for getting bills out of committee is next week and all the bills like that are just sitting there.”

In his eight weeks in Springfield, Ugaste said he’s already figured out at least part of what it is going to take to change things.

“We need a lot more Republicans in Springfield,” he said. “It seems like nothing short of that will do because right now all we’re doing is compounding the problem.”

The 65th House District includes Batavia, Burlington, Dundee, Elgin, Geneva, Grafton, Hampshire, Plato, Rutland and St. Charles.