Prices at the pump have been rising as a result of global tensions, increasing oil prices. | PxHere.com
Prices at the pump have been rising as a result of global tensions, increasing oil prices. | PxHere.com
Sen. Jil Tracy is speaking out against Illinois gas pump stickers, saying it is "wrong to force businesses to post political messaging."
As part of the budget and spending plan for the 2023 Fiscal Year, there is a delay in implementing the upcoming gas tax increase, and suspension of the gas tax itself, as a way to help Illinois residents to handle the inflation that has plagued their wallets. One condition of the suspension of the gas tax is that gas station retailers place a sticker on their gas pumps notifying residents of what's going on. And many Republicans, including Tracy, are calling this a bad move.
"It is wrong to force businesses to post political messaging, and those who don't comply should not be penalized," Tracy said.
Gas stations will be fined if they do not explain why gas is cheaper than Illinois residents expect it to be - because the government is delaying the increase of the fuel tax and suspending the tax itself for several months. This has a group representing fuel retailers planning to take legal action HOIABC.com reports that the Illinois Fuel & Retail Association has time to fight the state over the gas tax sticker requirement. "You can't force businesses in Illinois, or in any state, to participate in speech they disagree with or that they don't want to participate in," said Josh Sharp, CEO of the Illinois Fuel & Retail Association.
"This is political speech," Sharp told The Center Square. "This is telling people about a tax cut, and to us, again, forcing retailers to post those signs under the threats of fines or penalties is unconstitutional."
Tracy isn't the only legislator who's not a fan of the Democrat-passed spending plan and its provision for the gas tax, although she does support the tax cuts.
"Under the Democrats' plan, you're going to see two inflation-based increases on the motor vehicle fuel tax on gasoline next year, once on Jan. 1 and then again on July 1 of next year," Sen. Dan McConchie told The Center Square. "That’s not providing real relief to taxpayers.”
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