The President and CEO of the Saint Joseph Chamber of Commerce has high hopes for a new transportation funding bill, but real doubts about the political will to pass it. Patt Lilly says a proposed increase in the gas tax could clear the legislature without going to a statewide ballot, but feedback he’s hearing indicates that’s probably not going to happen this year.

Senate Bill 540 would raise the gas tax by a total of six-cents a gallon over a three year period. The sponsor is Republican Senator Doug Libla of Poplar Bluff, chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. The bill had its first hearing last week. The legislature is now on Spring Break until March 30.

Lilly says it’s good to see the legislature at least discussing transportation funding.