By Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner
High gasoline prices are putting a real hurt on Illinoisans. The average gas price in the state of Illinois as of Tuesday was $4.43 per gallon, 26 cents above the national average of $4.17, a record high.
The major causes for the price spike are well known: inflation from the trillions in federal bailouts, supply-chain constraints and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But less known is the significant increase in Illinois’ state gas taxes. They’re up more than 100 percent since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office. In January 2019, total state gas taxes totaled just 31 cents. Today, they’re up to 63 cents. And they’ll continue to rise as gas prices jump, a function of the state’s sales tax on gasoline. Illinois is one of just four states nationwide to apply a sales tax to gasoline.
If Illinoisans want any relief at the pump, they should demand it from Gov. Pritzker.
The governor is directly and indirectly responsible for much of the gas price pain Illinoisans face. Here’s why he owes residents a permanent, significant cut in the gas tax:
1. Major tax hike. Gov. Pritzker doubled the state motor fuel tax by 19 cents as part of the 2019 $45 billion capital bill that’s meant to fund rail, roads, bridges and other public works. Not only that, but his law makes sure that the motor fuel tax, which jumped to 38 cents, rises automatically each year based on inflation.
Pritzker can and should reverse some of that tax hike. Not all of it will be necessary considering Illinois will be flooded with an additional $17 billion for highways, bridges and public transportation as part of the federal government’s $1 trillion infrastructure package passed in 2021.
2. The nation’s 2nd-highest gas taxes. Add the 19 cents in federal gas taxes and Illinoisans pay a total of 82 cents in gas taxes, the second-highest in the nation (the graphic below is from January 2022. The API updates its prices periodically).
Before Gov. Pritzker’s motor fuel tax hike in 2019, Illinois residents paid the 21st-highest taxes.
3. Sales tax windfall. The 6.25 percent sales tax Illinois charges on gasoline is creating a windfall for the state coffers as gasoline prices jump. The revenues the state gets from the sales tax have already doubled since Pritzker took office, growing to 24 cents from 12 cents a gallon. The state has done nothing to deserve all that new revenue.
4. Inflationary bailouts. The governor and his party leaders have been major supporters of the federal government’s record bailouts and spending packages.
Those trillions spent on the ARP and the infrastructure bill are responsible for much of the inflation the country is experiencing today. Inflation is a triple threat – it raises gas prices directly, increases the bite of sales taxes and hikes the state’s motor fuel tax too.
5. Green policies. Pritzker has also closely aligned himself with the green and environmental movements and their policies – such as blocking pipelines and outlawing drilling – that prevent the United States from achieving energy independence.
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Gov. Pritzker may be tempted to join the five Democratic governors who are asking the federal government to suspend its federal gas tax in the face of jumping gas prices. But the governor shouldn’t keep relying on the feds to get the state out of a jam.
Considering all the above, Pritzker owes Illinoisans more than just a small, election-year gas tax freeze. They deserve a significant and permanent tax cut – like unwinding the increase in the motor fuel tax.
It’s not just good policy. It’s good politics.
Read more from Wirepoints:
- Five reasons why Gov. Pritzker’s gas tax “relief” isn’t relief at all
- Another pension sweetener? State lawmaker proposes a week of paid mental health leave for teachers
- Illinois used to have one competitive advantage over its neighbors: its flat tax. Now that’s largely gone
- This is our best moment to draw a line between reformers and anti-reformers
- Gov. Pritzker can’t take credit for Illinois’ improved budget projections when it’s the feds that bailed the state out
Audio and summary 
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
The only thing Putzker is gonna cut is his belt so he can eat more
I am an envolved republican but there were many “republican members” of the general assembly that supported these tax hikes. The sales tax on fuel, shoud be permanently cancelled. TAXES ON TAXES!
Yes some of Illinois Republicans are as bad as or worse than many of the Democrats. It is an Illinois thing.
California prices AND Illinois weather?! Where do I sign?!
FTR, California’s sales tax on gas is only 2.25%, much lower than their overall sales tax rate.
Pritzker will not build anything important with those gas taxes. He will continue to promote green energy because that’s what Biden told him to do. He needs gas taxes to pay Illinois pensions. He may be squeezed into cutting it back a little bit but it’s still going to pensions. Don’t believe anything he tells you. Has anyone ever seen him pump gas? I didn’t think so. He just thinks we’re all making a big deal out of nothing.
Biden tells Pritzker what to do;
Biden’s staff tells Biden what to do;
and progressive twitter is advising Biden’s staff what to do.
Progressive twitter is in charge on the country.
Oh, you love the conspiracy theories! I bet you have one to trot out for every political decision.
I only wish it were a conspiracy. You would understand if you spent any significant time reading blue check twitter! You must understand these people are glued to their phones 24/7 checking and tweeting and retweeting and it’s an ecosystem of the same ideas swirling around. Just like every conservative news media talked about gas prices today, all of blue check twitter has it’s topics too, and those ideas work upwards. Just look at the very complicated Ukraine situation. In unison all of twitter said “cancel Russia!” and they did!
He won’t do a damn thing, unless a lot of pressure is put on him. He’s going to figure that Putin and Biden will get the blame and nobody will notice his role in this economic atrocity.
Funny how your gas receipt conveniently doesn’t print any of the taxes either. Nor does the pump detail it out on the LCD screen. Mark wrote: “But less known is the significant increase in Illinois’ state gas taxes”
Well it would be widely known if the damn pumps and receipts disclosed the cost like every other store is required to do. Its obviously designed to not disclose the costs because it would create a problem for Springfield if people actually were informed.
Come on down to Indiana where the state legislature just passed a big beautiful $1.1 billion tax cut and passed constitutional carry.
And somehow they can balance the budget and maintain an AAA credit rating.
It’s so hard to do that in 2022……….
Governor and POTUS need to cut the EUA, mandates and all associated Emergency Powers
If we all are supposed to sacrifice for Ukraine, shouldn’t that include the state?
I assume the state is running well into the green on this budgetary line item. What’s preventing them from freezing sales tax above whatever they thought would be the average rate for the year?
This is just one of the many ways they’re pushing green energy, which is yet another Scam.
Exactly
Governor Round Boy will NEVER reduce any taxes. He is a pig at a trough and is going to feed until he is dragged away.
Politicians are elected to provide for the common good of the citizenry. Nothing Pritzger has done since being appointed governor has been done for the common good. Fees, taxes, registrations, licenses every possible source of tax money has been doubled, tripled or more (remember some trailer plates being raised 500%?). A real chance to do something for the “working men and women” he cares so much about would be to remove the oppressive gas taxes he so gleefully embraces, I doubt it will happen. The wallet of the politician is never empty, never hurting, never short so why should they?
Thank you Mrs Pritzger for your downvote. By the way, your Weight Watchers meeting misses you.
You misunderstand what “working men and women” means. That’s not you and me that actually have a job where we’re expected to perform, “working men and women” are all the teachers, state, municipal, employees that are in a public sector union that vote D. That’s who he cares about.
Public sector unions are a leech on the body politic-and not the medicinal kind.
Yup, UNIONS! ALL UNIONS!
At the time Pritzker doubled the gas tax it should have created a firestorm of protest for several reasons. First, despite his campaign promises to care for the marginalized residents in the state, this obscene act of raising gas taxes 100% placed the burden on the backs of the working class. Second, it placed Illinois at the top of yet another tax category in the country, along with the highest property taxes. Third, by law, it was all earmarked for capital projects and did nothing to address the biggest issue the state faces, which is unfunded pension liability. Finally, he… Read more »
Pritzker’s slogan is We’re # 1 in taxes/cost of living/people’s misery index/abortions/carjackings/shootings/corruption/property taxes/etc. He will probably change the state name to Pritzkerville.
Don’t forget that license plates are up 50%.
When will the opposing candidates bring up all the taxes that were raised and more to come while neighboring states are lowering theirs. So far they only mention crime and like a war zone. They should bring up the cost of living and taxes.
The Republican field for governor are weak very weak, this is there chance and it looks like they don’t care. There commercials are all over the charts instead of capturing the moment (s) they don’t as far as it goes for Irvin he better ramp it up quick and real quick his TV spots are so off it’s terrible. Pritzker to me unfortunately is walking himself right back into office even though he lies through his teeth about his accomplishments.
Honestly, it would be a heavy lift (pun intended) to defeat Pritzker. However, it is extremely important Republicans be competitive. They cannot get afford to get 43% again in what will be a down year for Dems nationally. JB needs to be a little scared.
Might be playing the long game here: JB’s challenger needs to come across as competent and not treat this like a one-and-done. Who knows, down the road, Irvin might want to campaign for US Senator.
JB is very unpopular, and the polls reflect that weakness. He was very unpopular before corona and hes not much more popular now.
Irvin only needs to win the Republican primary in 3.5 months. He’s aiming at people you and me. I hear his commercials everywhere. Heck, they even called me today asking for support.
The onslaught of political ads will come out in July through the election in November when voters actually start paying attention. that’s when Irvin will look like the stronger candidate.
Let’s hope so hey, but I also now think that Pritzker may be next behind his good buddy Madigan, he has been silent and avoiding questions me think he might be lawyering up, just me.
Pritzkerville. Is that kinda like Pottersville in the movie It’s a Wonderful life? Sure seems like it’s getting to be so more and more
If we had a functional GOP, they could have negotiated doubling the gas tax in exchange for dropping the sales tax. At the very least, if the Dems said no, it would have put Dems on the record in support of what’s considered a highly regressive tax.
Sales tax on top of a federal gas tax on top of a state gas tax on top of some local gas taxes. Makes sense to me.
Illinois doing what Illinois does best: tax the hell out of everyone and give them crap in return.
Gov. Toilets was all about progressivity when it came to the income tax, but I can’t think of anything more regressive than the gas tax. But that apparently doesn’t bother him. When you have millions to throw around on campaigns, what does he care how much it costs the average sucker in the state at the pump.
That’s the thing about elites, both from the left and the right for the most part. They all talk their bullshit, but working people always pay.
Yes, the dems may throw a few crumbs, but the price that comes with it is your soul. Repubs just want a piece of the action. They are just as corrupt.
Irvin is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I’m thinking he talks big like LL did to get elected, then veers left and out of touch.
When in the course of human events…….
Irvin has a track record as mayor of Aurora – LL didn’t have any governing experience. Neither did Pritzker – look what a fine job they’re doing.
Irvin is a rino. Unless you hear him talk at length about the damage of china virus mandates, there is likely very little daylight between him and Jabba.
His skin color will be used by the left as a shaming tool to keep him from wandering too far off the leftist plantation.
No matter how honest, trustworthy, sincere, or just plain great you think a politician is when he runs for government office throw it all out when he’s elected. To survive he must acquiesce once elected. He’s told what to do, not allowed to do what he told us he would do and never allowed to think or speak for himself. His party owns him. The only things he really fights for are his paycheck and political position. He can deny but show me proof.
But who controls the party?
I don’t care if Irvin is a RINO. We live in IL. All that matters is that he has an R next to his name and that will be 1000x times better than the progressives. We can work our way up to the Bailey wing of the Republican party in future elections with their Bonafides but we aren’t there yet, not in this state. Irvin did a commercial and said out loud that All Lives Matter. People have gotten killed for saying that. https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/ny-jessica-doty-whitaker-shot-dead-indianapolis-all-lives-matter-20200713-jcm5oyjca5fz5kge4qtlhh7dnu-story.html Wake me up when the other three or four candidates come out and say All Lives… Read more »
And this from a guy who says repeatedly in mockery something akin to “vote for blue no matter who.” But, when you advocate the same thing thing for Republican candidates its essentually asking for the same blind party loyalty. So, I’ll give you a new slogan: “vote for R no matter who they are.” No copyright infringement if you use it. It stinks in both cases, and I’d prefer more of a thought provoker: “vote for the candidate less likely to be a bandit.”
wow teacher James,for once i agree with you!-dont get used to it!
downvote to you
aww man,but im running for public office
“All that matters is that he has an R next to his name and that will be 1000x times better than the progressives.”
Do you not disagree with this statement? That’s the crux of my argument.
The ‘always vote blue no matter who’ is a mockery of the moderate voters who believe progressive’s views are insane (defund police, equity, st floyd) but always to vote blue anyways.
Should I presume your double-negative question suggests that I ought to agree with you? If so I can’t not say its disagreeable to me.
I believe that Irvin voted for Biden (forgot where I heard that), and that all of a sudden now he’s a republican. Hmmm
I don’t care. He’s been vetted by a guy willing to spend $300,000,000 on his campaign and has already put in a downpayment of $20,000,000. IL is never going to be a Red state like our surrounding state. I feel we need a gov not progressive. Irvin fits that bill. Yes, I would love to have Ives or Bailey or Rabine. But I don’t believe they have what it takes to win against JB. Ives couldn’t win against Rauner. Maybe I’m wrong, and I could very well be, but I’m putting my money on the horse with the best chance… Read more »