‘Robbing us all,’ scream drivers facing new automatic fee at the gas pump – they already pay more than the rest of the US

Owners of gas-powered vehicles are preparing to feel the pinch.

The state with the second-highest gas tax is preparing to raise rates once again.

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Illinois state lawmakers just approved a $0.02 gas tax increase, according to local ABC affiliate OTVO.

Previously, state taxes added $0.45 to every gallon of gasoline. The state will now collect $0.47 per gallon.

Drivers have just a few weeks before the July 1 tax increase is implemented at state stations.

Currently, the average price for a regular gallon of gasoline in the state is US$3.84, according to AAA.

Drivers filling an empty standard 12-gallon tank at the current average price can expect to pay $46.08.

The two-cent increase would increase the overall price of 12 gallons to $46.32.

Illinois’ gas tax is the second highest in the U.S. behind California, which implements a $0.60 state gas tax.

Additional federal taxes and local fees have made California and Illinois the most expensive states for gasoline in 2024, according to Visualizing Energy.

Owners of fuel-powered cars have complained about the increase on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Illinois politicians have never paid a tax they didn’t like,” one driver complained on the site.

Another driver from neighboring Iowa said the new taxes would increase consumer costs in neighboring states.

“Illinois is robbing us all,” the driver complained, claiming that gas prices in his state have increased from $2.92 to $3.07.

However, the average price of gas has been decreasing nationally, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

Prices have been steadily declining in the U.S. since surpassing $5 per gallon in 2022. The national average price was $3.73 in May, the agency reported.

Still, the tax hike in Illinois continued to rise for five years.

States with high gas taxes

Here is a list of the states with the highest gas taxes (including local fees and federal excise taxes) in the US:

• 1. California: $0.86 per gallon
• 2. Illinois: $0.84 per gallon
• 3. Pennsylvania: $0.80 per gallon
• 4. Indiana: $0.74 per gallon
• 5. Washington: $0.70 per gallon
• 6. Michigan: $0.66 per gallon
• 7. Maryland: $0.65 per gallon
• 8. New Jersey: $0.60 per gallon
• 9. North Carolina: $0.59 per gallon
• 10. Virginia: $0.57 per gallon

Per Visualizing Energy.

Illinois previously imposed a $0.19 tax on every gallon of gasoline for nearly thirty years, from 1990 to 2019.

The state doubled the tax in 2019 to 38 cents to help pay a $45 billion infrastructure bill.

Lawmakers have enacted laws that allow taxes to keep up with inflation, leading to the current change of $0.47.

Electric vehicle drivers are also subject to a fee to help finance infrastructure projects.

All EV drivers pay a flat $100 annual fee to the state to supplement lost gas tax revenue.

EV fees were first introduced in 2022.