Poll: Illinois’ automatic gasoline tax hikes opposed by 70%

More than 70% of Illinois voters polled are against automatic annual gas tax increases. Illinoisans faced two automatic hikes in 2023.

More than 7 out of 10 polled were against Illinois’ automatic annual gas tax increases, according to a new poll by Echelon Insights for the Illinois Policy Institute.

The poll of 800 Illinois voters surveyed June 26-29 showed 70.6% oppose Illinois’ automatic annual gas tax hikes. For every resident supporting the annual hikes, there were three against it.

Residents making less than $100,000 a year were more likely to oppose the automatic annual hikes, with the most opposition from the $75,000-$99,000 range. Those making more than $200,000 were least likely to support a repeal.

The source of the opposition is no surprise when middle- and lower-income families give up a greater share of their household budgets to gas. Drivers faced two gas tax hikes in 2023 because Gov. J.B. Pritzker delayed the 2022 hike to January 2023 in addition to the regularly scheduled hike on July 1.

Since the July 1 hike, Illinois’ motor fuel tax reached 45.4 cents per gallon. The tax was 19 cents before Pritzker and state lawmakers doubled it and built in automatic increases in 2019.

State leaders should be expected to hold public debates and then answer to voters when they want to raise taxes. Automatic increases allow them to dodge their responsibilities.