by Horace Douglas, The Chicago Times
April 8, 2022
SPRINGFIELD, IL – Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker announced plans to suspend grocery taxes and freeze the state’s fuel tax.
According to Pritzker’s office, $1.8 billion have been earmarked in the new budget for taxpayer relief.
“Over the last few weeks, and especially over the last 48 hours, we’ve engaged in a true give and take, which led to genuine compromise, and it honestly helped that we all came into this process committed to a fiscally-responsible spending plan that improved our state’s finances and helped our people in an hour of genuine need.” Pritzker said in a statement.
Pritzker’s budget proposes a suspension of Illinois’ 1% sales tax on groceries for the new fiscal year which will end July 1, 2023. In addition, Pritzker proposed a freezing the state fuel tax at $.39 a gallon until January 1, 2023. According to official Illinois bean counters, the election year tax gimmick will save taxpayers $470 million dollars.