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 Gov. J.B Pritzker’s newest re-election ad claims his tax relief
plan will help Illinois families suffering from the high cost of living, but the
costs got higher thanks to new taxes he imposed at the start of his term.
Pritzker says he froze the gas tax hike until 2023. That would be a six-month
delay in the automatic annual hike, which he and state lawmakers imposed to
avoid future gas tax votes when they doubled the gas tax to 38 cents from 19
cents a gallon in 2019.
The delay only means drivers will face two gas tax hikes in 2023. The Jan. 1,
2023, hike is expected to add 2.2 cents per gallon, then on July 1, 2023,
another 3.8 cents will be added based on experts’ inflation estimates.
The gas tax will then be 45.2 cents per gallon – a 138%
increase in the gas tax since Pritzker took office.
Pritzker’s claim is wrong: He didn’t lower prices, he just delayed when
taxpayers must fork over even more to the tax beast he created when he pushed a
$45 billion infrastructure plan.
That plan was riddled with over $1.4 billion in pork projects: pickleball
courts, snowmobile paths, dog parks, a shuttered private theater and cash for
the cronies of scandal-plagued former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.
Pritzker’s right about families suffering. Illinois motorists already pay the
second-highest gas tax in the nation, up from 10th-highest before Pritzker
doubled the gas tax.
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One other fact: Those struggling families now face $2,165 more in taxes than
they did before Pritzker was elected, thanks to 24 new and increased taxes and
fees he championed.
Pritzker’s TV ad is not the only way he’s spreading the word he pulled back some
taxes after imposed four-times as much on the average family. Gas stations are
being forced to advertise the delayed gas tax hike or pay $500-a-day fines. When
gas tax hikes return in 2023, there’ll be no signs to warn consumers.
As for other relief, Pritzker claims his plan “eliminates” the grocery tax.
Wrong. He only suspended for a year the 1% tax on what people eat – a tax 37
other states decided was wrong to collect.
Grocery stores are also required to remind you of Pritzker’s largesse. Every
grocer must advertise the tax suspension by law either on receipts or on a
boldly lettered sign, although criminal penalties and fines are not threatened
as they are for gas station owners.
Pritzker’s final fabrication is his plan “lowers” property taxes. Residents will
receive a one-time $300 property tax rebate. Long-term property taxes won’t go
down, keeping Illinois at No. 2 in the nation and with bills that averaged
$1,913 more during his administration.
Temporary relief won’t make up for the additional $2,165 in taxes the average
Illinois family is paying because Pritzker was so busy during his term. If
Pritzker really wanted to help working families, he wouldn’t base economic
policy and tax relief on the election calendar. |
