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State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said gas prices in his
district range from the mid $2.40’s to the upper $2.70’s and low
$2.80’s.
“You know, kind of central and east-central Illinois, the prices
that we’re seeing now, I’ve not seen in a long time,” Halbrook
told The Center Square.
Even with the price drop, Illinois remains the most expensive
state in the Midwest for motor fuel.
“If we had not doubled the gas tax in 2019, we would see prices
another 30 cents or so less than that. We could see some prices
in the $2.15-$2.20 range if it wasn’t for the gas tax doubled,”
Halbrook said.
Last July 1, Illinois’ motor fuel tax rose 1.3 cents to 48.3
cents per gallon as part of an automatic inflation adjustment.
The Land of Lincoln currently has the second-highest gas tax in
the nation.
Iowa and Wisconsin are among AAA’s top 10 least-expensive
gasoline markets. Iowa’s per-gallon gas price on Friday was
$2.47 and Wisconsin’s was $2.50.
When asked if Illinois lawmakers might consider lowering gas
taxes, state Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, said
affordability is always part of the discussion.
“Whether it’s that, property taxes, whether it’s the cost of
eggs, whether, you know, we’re bringing enough business into the
state of Illinois for there to be jobs available for people,
we’re constantly having those conversations,” Villanueva told
The Center Square.
The Chicago Democrat said lawmakers in Indiana and Wisconsin
could take care of what happens in their states, but she cares
about what happens in Illinois.
“That’s a constant thing, I think, for us in Springfield is,
like are things actually affordable. It’s always a constant
conversation,” Villanueva told The Center Square.
Greg Bishop contributed to this story.
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