Lightfoot floats waiving Chicago’s gas tax until 2023

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she wants to roll back the 3-cent gas tax she got city leaders to impose. She wants to offer relief for city residents as some pay over $5 a gallon.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration is putting together a proposal to roll back until 2023 the 3-cent per gallon gas tax her administration imposed at the start of 2021.

“Our team has been working diligently on a plan,” Lightfoot said. “We’ve got to do our part at the city level to provide some relief for people that are struggling.”

The City Council Finance Committee was scheduled to debate a measure amending the vehicle fuel tax March 28.

Lightfoot raised the gas tax in 2021 from $.05 to $.08 per gallon, but recently hinted the city may roll it back. An average gallon of gas in the city cost $4.87 after taxes and fees on March 28.

“I think every Chicagoan who drives a car has had sticker shock with what we’ve seen as the incredible escalation in gas prices,” Lightfoot said.

The bulk of gas taxes comes from the state tax. Illinois’ gas taxes became the second highest in the nation when Gov. J.B Pritzker doubled the state gas tax in 2019. The hike was to pay for a $45 billion infrastructure package, which included political pork projects. The tax is now 39 cents per gallon.

Pritzker has made no mention of gas tax relief besides suspending the automatic gas tax increase, which would be a penny at most. Pritzker has said, “It’s not an Illinois-specific problem,” regarding gas prices.

Both Pritzker and Lightfoot were criticized for offering minor gas tax relief that was more political than practical.