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A sales tax that might speed up your drive Officials say 0.25 percent extra can break up gridlock.

Article Excerpt
Byline: Russell Lissau Daily Herald Staff Writer

Gridlock.

Traffic jams.

Tie-ups.

Slowdowns.

Whatever designation you use, road congestion is frequently cited as Lake County's biggest problem. It seems to take forever to drive anywhere here, whether you're headed to the local supermarket, your job or anywhere.

Heck, some days, if you plan to visit Six Flags Great America or Westfield Shoppingtown Hawthorn, you might as well pack a lunch for all the time it'll take you to get to either place.

Lake County leaders say they've finally got an answer: a new sales tax that could raise $15 million a year for roadwork to ease traffic congestion.

All they need to get it to work is for voters on March 16 to approve a quarter-percent sales tax.

But will it really make a difference? Could $15 million a year actually give Lake County's traffic nightmare a happily-ever-after ending?

Absolutely, proponents say. And assuming voters give them the go-ahead, they know just how to get the job done, whether it's through traditional funding efforts or by using the money to contribute to federally or state-funded endeavors that otherwise would be unaffordable for the county.

"Everybody drives, and everybody has an intersection that is a thorn in their side as they drive through," County Administrator Barry Burton said. "If we're able to do (some) of those ... it will have a significant impact."

Road usage...

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