Bill banning Illinoisans from pumping their own gas dies in General Assembly

By Vincent Caruso

02/19/2020

After listening to voter feedback, an Illinois lawmaker tabled a bill that would have only allowed gas station clerks to pump gas in Illinois.

TAGS: gas station, Gas Station Attendant Act, gas tax

House bill would ban Illinois drivers from pumping their own gas

By Austin Berg

02/10/2020

The Gas Station Attendant Act would make Illinois one of only two states nationwide that bar all drivers from self-service at gas stations.

TAGS: Camille Lilly, DMV: Department of Motor Vehicles, fair tax, Gas Station Attendant Act, gas tax, graduated income tax, New Jersey, trade-in tax, vehicle registration

Feds indict champion of Illinois gas tax hike, ‘fair tax’ on tax fraud and bribery

By Vincent Caruso

01/27/2020

The former chair of the influential Senate Transportation Committee is the fourth Illinois politician indicted on federal charges amid a sweeping FBI probe.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, conflict of interest, corruption, Ed Burke, embezzlement, ethics, fair maps, fair tax, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal, federal government, federal investigation, fraud, gas tax, graduated income tax, graduation rate, house rules, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, Legislative Inspector General, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, Mike Madigan, pork barrel spending, progressive income tax, red light cameras, redistricting, revolving door, SafeSpeed, Senate Transportation Committee, Smart Scale, Springfield, tax fraud, transparency, waste, watchdog

2019 laws in review, Illinois lawmakers passed both nice and naughty bills

By Mindy Ruckman

12/20/2019

The Illinois General Assembly passed over 600 new laws in 2019. Some helped taxpayers, but many more hurt as they spent $85 billion while doing little to fix the pension crisis.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, capital plan, consolidation, Cook County, corruption, expungement, free speech, gas tax, government unions, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, Open Illinois Checkbook, progressive income tax, record sealing, Springfield, tax hikes, taxes, transparency, vehicle registration

Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax

By Vincent Caruso

12/20/2019

Will County became the first county to use new taxing authority under Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan, adding a new countywide gas tax of 4 cents per gallon atop state and local gas taxes.

TAGS: capital plan, collar counties, DuPage County, excise tax, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Joliet, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, sales tax, Springfield, tax hikes, tax increase, Will County

Illinois’ high sales taxes turn holiday shoppers into Scrooges

By Ben Szalinski

12/19/2019

Illinois’ state and local sales taxes make shopping for gifts an expensive gesture of kindness every holiday season.

TAGS: Cook County Board, eBay, Etsy, gas tax, Illinois, Magnificent Mile, online sales tax, sales tax, tax burden, taxes, wireless tax

Suburban families could pay $1,700 more in vehicle-related taxes starting Jan. 1

By Adam Schuster

12/17/2019

The gas pump is just one place Illinois drivers will feel pain in 2020, when the remaining transportation tax and fee increases Gov. J.B. Pritzker approved in 2019 take effect.

TAGS: electric car, electric vehicle, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, Springfield, trade-in tax, vehicle registration

9 new Illinois taxes totaling $1.7B take effect Jan. 1

By Adam Schuster

12/15/2019

Nearly half of the 20 tax and fee hikes passed to support a record $40 billion state budget and $45 billion infrastructure plan hit on New Year’s Day.

TAGS: cannabis, cigarette tax, economy, electric car, electric vehicle, gas tax, graduated income tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, marijuana, motor fuel tax, New Year's Day, online sales tax, parking garages, parking tax, progressive income tax, registration fee, spending, spending cap, Springfield, tax hikes, tax increase, taxes, trade-in tax, vehicle registration

Gas tax and vehicle fee hikes erase Pritzker’s promise of progressive income tax relief

By Vincent Caruso

12/15/2019

The numerous tax and fee hikes in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital spending plan more than offset the promised savings of the governor’s “fair tax” plan.

TAGS: fair tax, gas tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes, vehicle registration

New car trade-in tax will hit Illinois drivers New Year’s Day

By Austin Berg

12/12/2019

Illinois will impose a new sales tax on vehicle trade-ins beginning New Year’s Day. That’s why car dealerships have been running radio ads for weeks telling Illinoisans to come on down before the ball drops.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, registration fee, soda tax, Springfield, Toni Preckwinkle, trade-in tax, vehicle registration