Metro East Sun

Gov. J.B. Pritzker should wake up and assist struggling Illinois families, GOP gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) said. 

Bailey said that the reality is that Illinois families still have a difficult time making ends meet.

“Democrats like JB Pritzker want to live in this fantasy land where just because the price of gas is no longer setting record highs that everything is alright,” Bailey said. “The truth is gas prices are still high and working families are still struggling. Metro East residents routinely make it a point to fill up on the Missouri side of the river whenever possible."

Bailey notes that a big part of the pump prices is the tax imposed by the state on fuel products. For this, he proposed a special session of the legislature.

“The main difference between gas prices in Illinois and Missouri is taxes," he said. "It’s been more than 60 days since I called on Gov. Pritzker to call a special session of the legislature to repeal his disastrous gas tax hike and address economic hardships in Illinois.”

Bailey says Pritzker hasn't done anything to help families.

“What has been the response from Pritzker? Nothing. He’s either too busy running for president or doesn’t care that Illinois families are struggling under his failed leadership.”

Bailey has already expressed his displeasure at the gas prices in the state, noting that “Pritzker had a chance to do what’s right, and remove or suspend this tax. But instead, he failed.” He added that all that Pritzker did was "to merely freeze the increase and throw a couple of pennies at struggling families here in Illinois." Bailey argued that "That’s a disgrace. That’s unacceptable,” WDBR reported. 

For almost 30 years, the state's gas tax had been 19 cents, but it was later raised and inflation-indexed. 

The Sangamon Sun reported that the Illinois tax on fuels rose twice under a law that Pritzker approved in 2019. The increase propelled Illinois to have the second-highest gas tax in the US.

The report also stated that some legislators are already mulling the lowering or removal of the fuel tax altogether.