Excise taxes have failed to rehabilitate Illinois’ failing fiscal health. But lawmakers have yet to kick the habit.

Illinoisans paying to park will see a new tax beginning in January. Even parking on someone’s lawn for a special event will be taxed.

Each year St. Clair County, Illinois, taxpayers must add money to keep MidAmerica St. Louis Airport open. While passenger traffic is increasing, so are expenses.

The Illinois General Assembly and governor devised 20 different ways to take more money from taxpayers to finance spending on government operations and infrastructure.

Contrary to claims from both Republicans and Democrats, and despite raising nearly $1.1 billion in new taxes and fees for operations, the fiscal year 2020 budget is out of balance by between $574 million and $1.3 billion.

A $1 cigarette tax hike included in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s infrastructure plan will make Illinois’ tax on cigarette packs among the highest in the nation.

Illinoisans will pay more for gas, vehicle registration, cigarettes and parking after a bipartisan vote for $45 billion in new capital spending.

While New York lawmakers have agreed to make the state’s 2% temporary limit on property tax levies permanent, Illinois should take reform farther by enacting a freeze on levies and giving local governments the ability to rein in their spending.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's inconsistent progressive income tax numbers don't add up, which means he will have to pass middle-class tax hikes to raise what he wants to spend.