Ahead of Independence Day, Illinoisans near the state border exercise their freedom to purchase alcohol in low-tax neighboring states.
Illinois residents are denied the legal celebration of at least one freedom on July 4, but take their fireworks dollars to every border state to ignore the law.
Protesters on July 1 greeted the doubled gasoline tax in Illinois. They warned that the 19-cent hike will hurt businesses near the state line, and poor people all across the state.
Travelers filling up in Illinois will pay a 19-cent premium for the privilege of buying gas in the Prairie State.
Starting today, the state’s tax on motor fuel will double from 19 cents to 38 cents per gallon. The hike pushes Illinois from 10th to No. 3 in the nation for high gas taxes.
Illinoisans will shoulder one of the nation’s heaviest tax burdens at the pump – and the DMV.
This is the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling government employees cannot be forced to pay a union. In that year, about 20,000 workers from just three of Illinois’ public-sector unions have said “no” to union membership.
Illinoisans will be paying among the nation’s highest vehicle registration fees as part of a $45 billion infrastructure proposal pushed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the General Assembly.
Starting this July, Illinoisans will pay higher taxes on gasoline, cigarettes, video gaming and more.
With support for fair maps in the Illinois General Assembly, a hungry electorate and a national conversation on gerrymandering, is the Land of Lincoln finally ready to change its own backwards mapmaking?