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TAXES
NEARLY 25% OF WHAT ILLINOIS DRIVERS PAY AT THE PUMP
Illinois Policy Institute
| By Dylan Sharkey
Nearly 25% of what Illinoisans pay at the pump comes from taxes,
including Gov. J.B Pritzker’s doubling of the state gas tax in 2019 to
fund $45 billion in infrastructure and pork projects. Illinois’ gas
taxes are the second-highest in the nation, behind only California.
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 As gas prices nationwide continue to rise, Illinoisans are
forced to pay even more thanks to notoriously high gas taxes that rank No. 2 in
the nation.
One big culprit is Gov. J.B Pritzker. He doubled the state gas tax in 2019 and
allowed further increases in local gas taxes, adding $3.50 to every 15-gallon
tank of gas, or $0.23 to every gallon for Chicago drivers.
Illinois’ average gas price has reached $4.53, over a quarter more than the
national average of $4.25, according to AAA.
Gas prices in Chicago are even higher at $4.77, adding more pain to motorists.
Raul Gonzalez said he’ll start looking at other ways to get to work if prices
keep rising.
“I am noticing the change, like in my bank account, and I’m not saving as much
money as I normally would,”Gonzalez said. “At $5 a gallon, I would start taking
the bus, simply because that’s basically a trip here and back.”
 Prices vary by station, and some are already approaching $5 a gallon. Patrick De
Hann, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said new prices will be the
longest-lasting in history. [to top of second column] |
“It’s a dire situation and won’t improve any time soon. The high
prices are likely to stick around for not days or weeks, like they
did in 2008, but months,” De Haan said.
To make matters worse, De Haan said companies such as Uber and Lyft
will either have to raise the price for rides, or force drivers to
spend more money on gas. It could force many rideshare drivers off
the road.
In his first year in office, Pritzker doubled the state gas tax to
support $45 billion in infrastructure spending, a plan packed with
pork projects. He also signed annual automatic gas tax increases
into law. Automatic increases ignore the potential for unexpected
circumstances, such as the current soaring gas prices, while letting
state lawmakers avoid voting for the unpopular increases.
Pritzker proposed delaying the upcoming automatic hike in the tax,
but that temporary election-year ploy offers little real relief.
Instead, Pritzker’s automatic gas tax increases should be repealed. |
