March 31, 2023
State | Northwest Herald
State

Doubled gas tax to 39 cents goes to Illinois Senate

By The Associated
Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris, D-Chicago, outlines a $39.9 billion state budget plan to the Executive Committee, Saturday, June 1, 2019 in Springfield, Ill. Lawmakers missed the Friday, May 31, 2019 deadline to adjourn their spring session after a week of landmark votes including approving a constitutional amendment question asking voters whether to switch to a graduated income-tax structure that hits the wealthy harder and sending to the governor statutory language to protect abortion rights after several Republican-led states have imposed steep restrictions on the procedure. (AP Photo/John O’Connor)

Illinois House Majority Leader Greg Harris, D-Chicago, outlines a $39.9 billion state budget plan to the Executive Committee, Saturday, June 1, 2019 in Springfield, Ill. Lawmakers missed the Friday, May 31, 2019 deadline to adjourn their spring session after a week of landmark votes including approving a constitutional amendment question asking voters whether to switch to a graduated income-tax structure that hits the wealthy harder and sending to the governor statutory language to protect abortion rights after several Republican-led states have imposed steep restrictions on the procedure. (AP Photo/John O’Connor) (John O)

SPRINGFIELD – The price motorists pay at the pump for gasoline would double to 38 cents per gallon under legislation the Illinois House has adopted.

The House voted 83-29 Saturday night to increase the motor fuel tax to pay for upgrades to roads, bridges, public transit, railroads and other improvements. It would produce more than $1 billion next year.

It's one of the major tax increases Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed to finance his $45 billion infrastructure improvement program.

It would take effect when signed into law. But it's part of the Illinois budget package the Senate must endorse when it returns to Springfield Sunday.

Democrats have an extraordinary majority in the House and approval required a three-fifths majority 71 votes to pass. But Republicans are on board because they agree the state's infrastructure is in poor shape.

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The bill is SB1939.

Online: www.ilga.gov