SE Illinois News

Newly elected state Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) is no fan of the trend he has seen developing over his first few months in Springfield.

“It seems what’s apparent is that we’ve got a bunch of people down here with no experience building an economy just throwing things out and seeing what sticks,” he told SE Illinois News. “Equally as bad, they think more taxes and more spending is the answer to everything.”

Bailey said a bill now being floated that would double the state gas tax from 19 cents a gallon to 38 cents and make Illinois home to the second-highest overall gas burden in the country is yet another example of that flawed way of thinking. Senate Bill 103, which would take effect in July, would also see the gas tax increase each year based on a formula tied to inflation and license plate and registration fees rise by at least $50 a year. 

As it is, Illinois is one of just seven states that imposes a sales tax on gas. The proposed tax could hit suburban drivers even harder, with the bill allowing counties such as Lake, Will, McHenry, DuPage and Kane to tack on additional gas taxes of at least 4 cents a gallon.

“Everything just comes back to Springfield trying to find more ways of generating more money,” Bailey said. “It just the height of reckless budgeting.”

Bailey adds that he doesn’t think any of it will really matter until state lawmakers move to do what truly needs to be done.

“Everything revolves around the state getting its pension system under control,” he said. “Sadly, we’re farther away from doing that than we were when I got here. Right now, everything in Springfield is about partisan politics and part of our job as Republicans has become to hold Democrats liable and keep voters abreast of everything that’s happening.”

The 109th House District includes all or parts of Clay, Edwards, Effingham, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland, Wabash, Wayne and White counties.