Story posted Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Gas Station Owner To Fight Tax Hike
By TOM ROBB Journal & Topics Reporter
Higher than usual gasoline prices may soon be coming to Des Plaines and Glenview because of recently proposed and approved motor fuel taxes. One gas station owner is gearing up for a fight.
On Tuesday, Nov. 1, Glenview trustees adopted a new two-cent a gallon motor fuel tax. When Des Plaines passed its 2010 city budget last week, included in it was a two-cent a gallon hike on its current two-cent a gallon fuel tax. A separate ordinance is needed for the Des Plaines gas tax to take effect.
Nick Gianaris said he is considering mounting a petition drive to challenge the Des Plaines tax. Gianaris owns two Citgo gas stations, one at 1733 Oakton St. east of River Road in Des Plaines and one at 240 Waukegan Rd. in Glenview.
Gianaris successfully challenged a gas station regulation in Chicago where he also owns stations with a petition drive using a professional polling firm that garnered 4,000 signatures in one Chicago ward.
The Chicago ordinance passed, but exempted the ward where Gianaris mounted his petition drive.
"Why do these things have to be paid for on the backs of one industry?" Gianaris asked the Glenview Village Board and rhetorically to the Journal & Topics Newspapers.
He attended both Des Plaines City Council and Glenview Board of Trustees meetings speaking out against the tax.
Des Plaines City Attorney Dave Wiltse said a first consideration of the ordinance to enact the new gas tax would be introduced at the Monday, Nov. 16 City Council meeting.
Both new taxes would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2010.
Revenue from both taxes would be dedicated to infrastructure, say officials. The Glenview tax would be dedicated to road repair and upkeep and the Des Plaines tax would be used for general infrastructure, such as flood control, according to Mayor Marty Moylan.
Des Plaines has designated revenues from a new casino set to open in 2011 on River Road just north of Devon to go exclusively to infrastructure.
"Residents want flood relief right now, not in two years when we get money from the casino," said Moylan.
Some Glenview trustees said they are sympathetic to station owners, but feel maintenance of roads should be paid for by the users of the roads, like drivers.
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