Quinn 'Not Sure' About Raising Liquor Tax, Against Parking Meter Deal

Quinn 'Not Sure' About Raising Liquor Tax, Against Parking Meter Deal

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is backing away from a push to pay for public construction projects by raising liquor taxes.

In a two-hour interview Monday night on "Extension 720" on WGN-AM (720), Quinn hedged on his previous support for a plan to raise $114 million with higher taxes on wine and spirits, the Chicago Tribune reports.

"I'm not sure I'm for the alcohol tax. I'm going to take a look at that," Quinn said.

State lawmakers have been searching for ways to pay for a $26 billion infrastructure program. Raising the liquor tax and legalizing video poker have emerged as two of the central possible funding sources.

Key legislative leaders Friday contemplated hiking the state's tax on beer by 2.6 cents per six pack for the first time in a decade, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Among the other options state lawmakers are considering is leasing public property to private companies.

Quinn, however, said he thought Chicago's experiment with leasing parking meters had gone poorly and that he disagreed with Mayor Daley on the issue.

"I like Mayor Daley. He's a good man," Quinn said on WGN. "I don't agree with this parking-meter deal. It just hasn't worked well and they really have to re-examine it."

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