Illinois Family Relief Plan: Gas Tax Hike Delayed, Grocery Tax Suspended, School Supplies Sales Tax Reduced

Illinois families are expected to save money on essential items as inflation strains their pockets.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio via pexels

As a part of the state's new budget, a few things are changing Friday (July 1). Residents in Illinois do not have to worry about paying a higher gas tax until January 2023. Governor J. B. Pritzker revealed the details in April while also providing information about suspending the Illinois Grocery tax until June 30, 2023.

The changes are all included in the Illinois Family Relief Plan. Residents are expected to save money on groceries, gas, property taxes, school supplies, and more. Here's what you need to know:

• Groceries: The state's 1% sales tax on groceries will be suspended from July 1 through June 30, 2023, saving consumers $400 million.
• Gas: The state's customarily scheduled increase in the motor fuel tax will be delayed from July 1 to January 2023, saving consumers $70 million.
• School supplies: Sales taxes for qualified clothing and school-related items will be reduced from 6.25% to 1.25% for a 10-day window from August 5 to 14, saving consumers $50 million.

In a press release, Gov. Pritzker talked about how important it is to have a government dedicated to focusing on working-class families struggling to make ends meet.

We are sending $1.8 billion in tax relief to Illinois families - and we are doing that because Democrats balanced the budget, eliminated the bill backlog, and state government is now running a surplus. In challenging times like these, it's more important than ever to have a government whose first focus is on working families and those who are struggling, and leadership that provides new and creative ways to deliver relief when you need it most.

A few days ago, Republican Darren Bailey became the nominee to face off against Pritzker. Illinois is a few months away from election day.