East Central Reporter

Chris Miller, candidate for state representative in the 101st District, recently gave his opinion on the issue of high taxes in Illinois.

Miller criticized Gov. J.B. Pritzker for failing to use COVID relief funds to provide actual tax relief by replenishing the depleted Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.

"The more things change the more they stay the same. Illinois politicians have a long history of using taxpayer money as reelection tools," Miller told East Central Reporter. "The money from the COVID-19 relief funds should have gone to make the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund whole. The Democrats, though, decided to use the money to fuel their re-election efforts with temporary tax relief provisions. We need to change the culture in Illinois and put people first."

Illinois' property tax rate is the second highest in the nation at 2.27%, behind only New Jersey, according to a June report by Rocket Mortgage. The owner of a $194,500 home in Illinois will pay $4,942 annually in property taxes. 30 states have property tax rates lower than 1%.

"Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the nation. We have to lower property taxes but in order to do that, we need to focus on reducing spending," Miller said.

Pritzker doubled Illinois' gas tax from 19 cents to 38 cents in 2019, according to Fox News. Pritzker also instituted an annual gas tax increase. Illinois Democrats passed legislation postponing this year's scheduled gas tax increase of 2.2 cents from July to January, Fox News reported.

The gas tax increase delay was part of a bundle of tax rebates and delays in the record $46.5 billion FY 23 budget, according to Illinois Policy. The tax rebates and delays will save the average Illinois family $556. The 2.2 cents increase to the gas tax will take effect on Jan. 2023, and will be followed by another increase in July 2023, likely of 3.8 cents per gallon, bringing Illinois' total gasoline tax up to 45.2 cents per gallon.

Miller thinks that the move is just a re-election PR move that doesn't go far enough to help Illinois families and would prefer more permanent tax relief reform.

"All I know is the cost for farmers to fill up their tractors is still too high. It really has not made a dent in the overall cost to run a farm, drive to work or drop your kids off at school," Miller said. "People are still struggling. The election year ploys of the Democrats may make for nice press releases but they do little to solve the real problems Illinois residents face." 

A March report by WalletHub found that Illinois has the tenth overall highest tax burden in the nation at 9.7%. The report weighed property taxes, income taxes, and sales and excise taxes.