West Cook News

Republican Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison is encouraging Illinoisans to contact their state representatives and ask for a suspension of the state's gas tax. Morrison calls Pritzker's gas tax "excessive."

"While the price at the gas pump continues to crush many Illinois residents, it's time for our state government to find a viable relief mechanism for working families. Illinois should suspend its gasoline tax. Current costs at the pump combined with the excessive gas tax that Governor Pritzker passed left us with gas tax hikes in 2020, 2021 - and soon the July 2022 tax increase will kick in! Call your state reps & state senators and tell them to suspend the gas tax," said Morrison.

According to Illinois Policy, Illinoisans are already paying the second-highest gas tax in the country. The state gas tax was doubled in 2019 as part of the $45 billion infrastructure plan, and it went from 19 cents to 38 cents.  

The average price of a regular gallon of gasoline in Illinois is $4.488 as of March 29, according to AAA, up from $3.712 one month ago and $3.056 one year ago. In Cook County, gas prices average $4.706 as of March 24.

WIFR reported that although Pritzker has suggested freezing gas and grocery taxes next year, Republican legislators are arguing that Illinoisans need relief sooner. One proposal would freeze the sales tax on gasoline at 18 cents per gallon. "None of the proposals from the House Republicans have seen significant movement since they were introduced," according to WIFR.