Macon Reporter

Illinois 88th House District candidate Regan Deering is criticizing the state’s Democrats for raising taxes on residents.

Deering, a current Mount Zion school board member who ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2022, took to Facebook recently to point out the tax hikes.

“It’s Fill ‘er Up Friday at our house!” she said in a June 30 Facebook post. “Tomorrow, the SECOND gas tax increase of the year takes effect. Illinois will now have the 4th highest motor fuel tax in the nation. Tomorrow we will also get back the 1% grocery tax. JB offered relief last year due to inflation, but now that the election’s over, it’s back. Of course, we know food costs are continuing to rise. We need to find REAL relief for families where they are hurting the most.”

Beginning July 1, two taxes on essential items in Illinois increased, a recent report from The Center Square said. The state's gas tax rose by 3.1 cents per gallon, bringing the total tax to 45.4 cents, marking the second increase in the motor fuel tax this year. Additionally, the state's 1% tax on groceries, which was temporarily suspended during last year's election cycle, was reinstated. Gov. JB Pritzker defended the reinstatement, citing the need for local government funding, while critics argued that the tax increases place a burden on residents who are already facing high property taxes. The state's recently approved fiscal year 2024 budget also includes other fee increases.

Illinois implemented a gas tax increase at the start of the year, adding 3.1 cents per gallon. That amount resulted in the state having the second-highest gas tax in the United States, with California being the highest. The State Motor Fuel Tax in Illinois was previously set at $0.423 per gallon of gasoline and $0.498 per gallon of diesel fuel until June 30, a January Mahomet Daily report said.

The end of the one-year suspension of the grocery tax, implemented by Pritzker during his election year, is notable given that the overwhelming majority of states do not tax food. Despite discussions on making the tax suspension permanent, most Illinois lawmakers opted against joining the 37 states that do not tax groceries at all. Only 13 states tax groceries, and Illinois is the only one among the 10 most populous states to impose a grocery tax, according to data from Illinois Policy.

Running as a Republican, Deering hopes to replace state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Macon), who is not running again; a recent Macon Reporter article said. In her candidacy announcement, Deering noted that she aims to be a voice for commonsense conservatives who will fight for their values and interests.