Metro East Sun

Illinois Rep. Amy Elik (R-Fosterburg) added her voice of concern about gas taxes, similarly to other state politicians. 

She said families are hard-hit by these prices.

“Illinois families are paying higher prices everywhere,” Elik said. “They are even paying the second-highest property taxes in the nation. Illinoisans are paying more and more while the state government continues to tax everything politicians can get their hands on.”

She points her finger to inflation.

“Inflation is at an all-time high,” she said. “Now is the time for our taxes to be reduced.”

The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported motorists are paying 15% in taxes at the pump.

“Capping Illinois’ sky-high taxes on gasoline would be welcome relief for Illinois motorists and fuel retailers as inflation and geopolitical forces continue to wreak havoc on the economy,” Josh Sharp, CEO of the Illinois Fuel and Retail Association, said, according to Sen. Darren Bailey's website.

There are legislative efforts to cap the state’s gas tax.

“I am also co-sponsoring legislation along with Leader Mark Batinick, Rep. Paul Jacobs and Rep. Dan Swanson that would cap the rate of sales tax at 0.18 cents per gallon of gas,” Rep. Patrick Windhorst wrote on his website. “(House Bill) 5481 would prevent the sales tax on a gallon of gas from ever going above that amount regardless of an increase in gas prices.”

The Illinois General Assembly website notes dozens of Republicans are sponsoring House Bill 5723, which would make it so that motor fuel retailers cannot go over $0.18 per gallon for motor fuel for tax.

The website mentions HB 5723 was introduced on March 11 and had its first reading on March 15 before being referred to the Rules Committee.

The website details House Bill 5481, sponsored by Reps. Patrick Windhorst, Keith Wheeler, Amy Elik and Tom Weber, which was introduced on Jan. 28 and referred to the Rules Committee, but has not been called or scheduled since. It would amend the Use Tax Act, as well as other tax laws, to suspend the gas tax if the percentage increase in the Consumer Price Index is more than 3% over the previous year.