Sen. Darren Bailey | Facebook / Darren Bailey
Sen. Darren Bailey | Facebook / Darren Bailey
Senator and gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) is joining 17 other Republican senators making an effort to limit rising gas prices.
“People are struggling with rising costs and it's time the legislature step in and help,” Bailey wrote on Facebook.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that nationally, motorists are paying average of 15% in taxes at the pump.
“If the last two years haven’t been hard enough with COVID-19 mandates, now residents are having to foot the bill for our government’s failures,” Bailey said on his website. “It is time we put a stop to this madness and lower our state’s taxes to provide the meaningful relief that all hard-working Illinoisans deserve.”
Senate Bill 4195 was first sponsored and introduced by Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford), and cosponsors include several Republican senators, including Bailey, Brian Stewart (R-Dixon), Neil Anderson (R-Moline), Sue Rezin (R-Morris), and Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), among others.
The bill would cap the amount that could be charged per gallon of gas to 18 cents, for the prepayment of tax by motor fuel retailers.
As of March 15, the national average price for a gallon of gas was $4.316, according to AAA. In Illinois, that average price is $4.557.
Part of the reason these prices are so high is that in addition to the motor fuel sales tax, the state also has a sales tax. And, there's a federal gas tax as well.
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