The state's 1% tax on groceries, which was temporarily suspended during last year's election cycle, will be reinstated on July 1. | Photo: Anna Kaminova
The state's 1% tax on groceries, which was temporarily suspended during last year's election cycle, will be reinstated on July 1. | Photo: Anna Kaminova
Concerned Illinoisans are lashing out at lawmakers for increased taxes on gas and groceries.
Both taxes increase as of July 1.
“Is everyone aware that our state legislators voted themselves a 17% pay increase Jan 1, 2023,” Charleston resident Ron Veach said on Facebook. “Now starting July 1st, they have voted themselves a 5.5% cost of living pay increase? I was just wondering, who else got a 23% pay increase this year?.....gas tax also jumps up again, now up to nearly .50 per gallon, when it was .19 just three years ago.....and, with groceries higher than ever, IL becomes the 13th state to tax groceries, so milk, bread, and eggs all go up 1% across the board Saturday…..”
Effective Saturday, July 1, two taxes on essential items in the state are set to increase. Illinois's gas tax will rise by 3.1 cents per gallon, bringing the total tax to 45.4 cents, marking the second increase in the motor fuel tax this year, Andrew Hensel wrote on The Center Square. Additionally, Illinoisans will again be charged a 1% tax on groceries, which was temporarily suspended during last year's election cycle. Gov. J.B. Pritzker defended the reinstatement, citing the need for local government funding, while critics argue that the tax increases place a burden on residents who are already facing high property taxes. The state's recently approved fiscal year 2024 budget also includes other fee increases.
Illinois implemented a gas tax increase on Jan. 1, adding 3.2 cents per gallon of gas, resulting in the state having the second-highest gas tax in the United States after California. The State Motor Fuel Tax in Illinois is currently set at $0.423 per gallon of gasoline and $0.498 per gallon of diesel fuel until June 30, Mahomet Daily reported.
The end of the one-year suspension of the grocery tax, implemented by Pritzker during his election year, is notable given the overwhelming majority of states don’t tax food. Despite discussions on making the tax suspension permanent, the majority of state lawmakers opted against joining the majority of states that do not tax groceries at all. According to Illinois Policy, only 13 states total tax groceries and Illinois is the only among the 10 most populous states to impose a tax on groceries.
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