Gov. JB Pritzker doubled the gas tax for his ‘Road Fund’ only to take $300 Million of that money to make up for his budget shortfall – all while spending billions of dollars on illegal migrants
In 2019 the Illinois Governor doubled the gas tax from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents per gallon to fund transportation infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and transit.
The tax was also indexed to inflation, meaning it adjusts annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
By July 1, 2024, the gas tax had risen to 47 cents per gallon, and as of July 1 of this year, it’s about 49.2 cents per gallon.
Illinois drivers also pay the federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon bringing the total gas tax to about 67.6 cents per gallon
Additional state and local sales taxes on gasoline, especially in Chicago and Cook County, push the total tax higher, with Chicago’s gas taxes among the highest in the nation (up to $1.22 per gallon in some areas).
Now Gov. Pritzker – who has faced heavy backlash from residents in Illinois over his budget that they say prioritized illegal migrants – has redirected over $300 million from its Road Fund, even as the state’s infrastructure continues to deteriorate.
The $52.7 billion budget includes a $171 million shift of gas tax revenue from the Road Fund to the General Revenue Fund to help close a $3.2 billion deficit.
Other transportation-related funds, such as vehicle registration fees, have been diverted in recent years, totaling over $300 million since 2019.
These funds were intended to support the state’s 150,000 miles of roads and 26,000 bridges, many of which are in poor condition, with a $60 billion backlog in needed repairs.
According to the Illinois Policy Institute, Pritzker has spent upwards of $4.5 billion on illegal migrants in recent years – providing free travel, free shelter, free food, free healthcare and other free services
