Southern Illinois News

Illinois GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey is rallying across Illinois as working families are struggling to support themselves in this economy and leaving the state.

“What an absolutely awesome day on the Southern Illinois leg of our Get Out The Vote Bus Tour! Mt. Vernon, Jonesboro, Marion, Harrisburg and even a stop in at the Mike Bost rally in Effingham. Thank you to those who continue to show up, and the multitudes of new people we are meeting along the way. The momentum is with us. We need every single person to get out and vote and to support the common-sense change we need in Illinois. (Gov.) JB Pritzker’s policies are hurting working families and driving people away from our great state. We need new leadership and we need it now,” Bailey said. 

According to Southern Illinois NPR affiliate WSIU, Bailey and Stephanie Trussel visited Marion, Illinois in late October as part of their get out to vote tour. 

Bailey lambasted the Pritzker administration for the financial burden it has put on Illinois families: “Gas, groceries, heating our homes. It has become too much. It's too much. And it's unfortunate that the little things, the sweetest things in life, we're having to cut those out and it shouldn't be that way. We can fix that. We can fix that. And we will. And it will start on Nov. 9 friends.” 

The duo also made appearances in Mt. Vernon, Anna and Harrisburg alongside State Sen. Terri Bryant and State Reps. Paul Jacobs and Patrick Windhorst.

According to Wirepoints, Illinoisans pay some of the highest gas prices in the country due to multiple layers of government each imposing their own tax. 

A breakdown of gas taxes for a gallon of gas in Naperville, Illinois showed the federal government’s tax, $0.18, the state sales tax, which is 6.25%, the state motor fuel tax, which is $0.39, the DuPage County tax at $0.08 and finally the municipal tax at $0.04. 

The motor fuel tax was doubled by Pritzker in 2019, and as part of that law, this tax increases automatically each year based on inflation. The state also imposes a 6.25% sales tax, which applies to the base price and the federal tax. This tax increases prices the most because as the price of gas goes up, so does this tax. This does not even include local taxes across the state. 

Critics argue Pritzker’s policies have made gas prices much worse; when he entered office, state taxes per gallon were 32 cents. Now, they are 68 cents. 

Pritzker has also supported national policies that have driven up the cost of gas including massive spending in “Build Back Better,” and he is a supporter of the green energy movement, Wirepoints reported. Both of these policies, combined with Pritzker’s gas tax hike, have dramatically increased gas prices across Illinois, critics note.

Bailey is a harsh critic of Pritzker’s economic policies. 

“Gross domestic product declined in Illinois along with 46 other states signaling the realistic possibility a recession is on the horizon. The 2.5% GDP decline in the first quarter in Illinois is higher than the average 1.6% decline nationally. While states like Texas and Florida have been lowering taxes and creating a better business climate, the only thing JB Pritzker is offering is a commitment to be the wokest state in the country,” Bailey said, according to Prairie State Wire. "Being woke is not an economic plan but unfortunately it is all JB Pritzker has to offer.” 

Bailey promises that as governor, he will fight to cut taxes and pursue policy that attracts businesses to Illinois. This comes as a recession could be on the horizon as GDP has been declining.