Though U.S. gas prices have dropped to near all-time lows, Illinois’ state and local taxes make gas costlier in the Land of Lincoln than in neighboring states.

Contracting and fuel industry experts sounded off on a recent idea to raise Illinois’ fuel tax.

Another Band-Aid budget deal won’t fix the financial problems that plague Illinois or stop the state’s credit rating from falling to junk.

While Illinois motorists have seen the country’s second-highest increase in gas prices, Chicagoans pay even higher prices at the pump due to multiple layers of city, county and state taxation.

Chicago Public Schools’ postponement of its $875 million bond sale indicates investors’ concerns over the financial state of the district.

Illinois has the lowest credit rating among the 50 states, forcing taxpayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars more in borrowing costs than residents of states in better fiscal condition.

Illinois’ monthslong budget gridlock, $111 billion in government-worker pension debt, and more than a decade of unbalanced budgets have resulted in credit downgrades for Illinois and the highest borrowing costs of any state in the nation.

Motorists filling up at Chicago pumps can expect to pay an additional $0.16 per gallon in Regional Transportation Authority, county and city taxes, making gas sold in the city the costliest in any of Illinois’ metro areas.

Major ratings agencies are weighing in on the dismal state of the state.