In less than two weeks, Illinois voters will decide on a constitutional amendment that could impact every driver in the state.
It's called the 'Safe Roads Amendment' or the 'Lockbox Amendment.' Under the proposal, state lawmakers would be required to use all money collected from transportation taxes and fees for road- or transit-related projects.
According to a coalition of supporters called the Citizens to Protect Transportation Funding, more than $6 billion has been diverted from Illinois' road fund over the past decade.
"Right now, it's just going wherever it's needed at the time, and so our roads are paying the price for that," said Katrina House, general manager of Xylem Ltd., a Cordova-based company.
Xylem has a fleet of trucks on the road every day, and House wants to see her fuel tax and licensing fees put back into transportation.
"In the state of Illinois, roads are just being maintained, and we're reacting to problems, rather than looking ahead and being able to fix things," said House.
However, not everyone supports the amendment.
"That's not what constitutions are supposed to do," said State Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago. "They're supposed to set important priorities, but they're also supposed to be flexible so lawmakers can do what needs to be done as it needs doing."
Flynn Currie says the money may be needed for unexpected expenses, like a natural disaster.
The amendment is the first item Illinois voters will see on their ballots on November 8, 2016.