Flights Now Available from Midway Airport to Central Illinois

The state has announced new commercial flights between Midway International Airport and Decatur, Marion and Quincy in central Illinois.

Air Midwest, which mostly operates a fleet of twin-engine, 19 seat planes, has agreed to provide the service with the help of a $1.2 million state subsidy.

Service could start as early as December. It remained unclear this weekend what planes the airline planned to deploy. Sources say they will make several trips each week to and from the three small airports.

Raising taxes for roads and transit: After Tuesday's election, transit and road builders have a hard battle ahead of them to convince lawmakers and the governor to raise taxes and stop economy-choking gridlock in Chicago and the suburbs.

Early forecasts are pointing to a large lobbying effort for a "mega-package." It could cost upward of $20 billion in one-time expansion and maintenance expenses over five or more years as well as $200 million or more in yearly operating expenses. The plan may also include a host of new powers for planning and transit agencies.

And the monster deal will likely include some type of authorization for private companies to build roads and toll them, like the long-sought extension of the O'Hare-Elgin Expressway.

Whether it also will include - or be built around - leasing the Illinois tollway system to a private company remains unclear.

What this all boils down to for anyone who leaves the house is simple: who decides what roads and transit systems to improve or build, and how much money will be there to fund the projects.

Despite the natural aversion to tax increases - and they could be considerable - some suburban lawmakers are all ears.

Count state Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican, in the mix. He said recently the plans to greatly expand transit and roads in the suburbs could possibly secure his vote for reasonable tax increases.

He explains: "Illinois lags the country in economic development."

Untying the roads via expansions and better mass transit alternatives will jump-start the economy, Dillard reasons.

Under a cloud of mistrust, the suburban Republican bloc has opposed some big spending plans by Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But Dillard says "there will be plenty of votes" for a well-reasoned package that gives suburban Chicago its fair share regardless of who wins the mansion Tuesday.

Dillard's open mind buoys the advocates who will be pushing the massive package next year. (They plan to get the talking started during the fall legislative session, having desperately avoided the issue during the campaign season.)

And while Dillard may just be one vote, he could be indicative of what will take place next year.

See, Dillard signed the Americans for Tax Reform Pledge, which states that he would "oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes."

Numerous suburban lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, signed the pledge. And in order to get such a mega-package approved, they all may have to overlook those campaign promises to bring home the transit and road projects they know many residents want.

Politicians likely won't be crawling out on such a long political limb if the plan isn't supported by a majority of voters.

Hence, the long, hard battle facing people like MarySue Barrett, president of the respected Metropolitan Planning Council. She emphasizes talk of funding the projects is putting the cart before the horse.

"It will be dead on arrival if we start by talking about revenue sources," she said. "We have to paint a picture about what the benefits are going to be."

As Dillard said: "I want to be sold on the proposal first, and then I will worry about the funding."

On Thursday, the Regional Transportation Authority will release a report detailing transit expansions the Chicago area may need in the coming years, and why lawmakers should fund them.

A report on how to get that money out of Illinois residents or businesses isn't expected until next month - or later.

Flying on a gift card: In case you missed it, the Daily Herald reported this week that more and more airlines are offering gift cards for the holidays at local outlets.

Southwest, US Airways, American and JetBlue Airways are among the airlines that have the gift cards for sale at common retail stores like Wal-Mart and Dominick's.

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