GOP lawmakers call for gas tax suspension as prices climb

By Sean Reed | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – State lawmakers on both sides of the aisle called for the wrangling of spiking gas prices Friday.

With no clear timeline on when fuel costs could ease for consumers, representatives in Springfield said they want a solution for their constituents.

The average price of fuel in Illinois has remained steadily above the national average as the costs of oil have sharply increased since the conflict between the U.S. and Iran began late last month.

The average price per gallon in Illinois on Friday was $4.12, nearly 20 cents higher than the national average. At 48 cents a gallon, Illinois has one of the highest gas tax in the country, trailing only California’s 70-cents a gallon.

Both the state average and national average have skyrocketed by more than a dollar a gallon in the last month, fueled by the ongoing conflict with Iran.

State Rep. Jed Davis, R-Yorkville, called on Democrats to address the issue.

“I would encourage the majority party, let’s follow the lead of our esteemed colleagues in the great state of Georgia. Let’s suspend the gas tax for a 60-day period to provide true relief for the great citizens of Illinois” Davis said.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed a bill hours earlier Friday, temporarily suspending fuel taxes of his state in the short term.

Illinois residents are currently taxed 48 cents per gallon of regular gasoline and nearly 56 cents per gallon of diesel, on top of additional federal and local tax rates. The state tax rate is set to increase in July.

State Rep. Blaire Sherlock, D-Villa Park, said the shock to fuel prices is a result of unnecessary actions by the Trump Administration.

“I would ask my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to reach out to their president and ask him to get us out of a war we never wanted to get into and bring gas prices down,” Sherlock said.

Sherlock also said the military actions in Iran are causing outsized pain for her constituents compared to the pain felt by the wealthy.