Southern Illinois News

Senator Jason Plummer of Illinois' 55th District has voiced opposition to a proposed delivery tax, stating that Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Democratic Party are seeking additional funds from residents through this measure. Plummer emphasized that Senate Republicans are prepared to contest the proposal.

"There is some misinformation out there so just to be clear - The Delivery/Amazon/Pizza Tax is dead," said Plummer, State Senator 55th District (R), according to Facebook. "Keep that in mind, "for now. Governor JB Pritzker is pushing hard for more of your money and many Democrats sponsored it. The good news - this Delivery Tax was stopped this time around because your Illinois Senate Republican Caucus was ready for the fight."

According to WGN, the "delivery tax" is part of a funding plan designed to address the Chicago Transit Authority's projected $770 million deficit for the fiscal year 2026. The tax would apply to packages from companies such as Amazon and pizza deliveries, prompting criticism that it would place an undue burden on Illinois residents already facing rising costs.

Screenshot of State Representative Jason Plummer's June 10 Facebook post | State Senator Jason Plummer's Facebook page

The Chicago Sun-Times reported that legislators might convene a special session to revisit House Bill 3438, introduced by Senator Ram Villivalam. Although the bill passed in the Senate, it stalled in the House. Lawmakers may also introduce a new delivery tax bill. While most deliveries would be taxed under this legislation, essential items like standalone grocery and medication deliveries would be exempt. If enacted, the bill is expected to generate over $1 billion for Chicago’s transit system and facilitate the creation of a new transit authority responsible for fare setting, capital project oversight, and transfer simplification.

Plummer further criticized the bill in a Facebook post, arguing that families ordering necessities like diapers or students ordering pizza would face a $1.50 charge per delivery due to what he describes as Democrats' efforts to support Brandon Johnson, whom he labels "an unmitigated disaster." He claimed that Senate Bill 3438 was introduced at the last minute because Democrats "hate transparency," but noted that Senate Republicans were prepared and met privately with Democratic leaders to explain their opposition.

Senator Plummer has represented Illinois’ 54th Senate District since his election in 2018, focusing on serving Southern Illinois as a conservative voice for constituents he says have been overlooked by lawmakers in Springfield.