West Central Reporter

Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Macomb) thinks the stickers the state is mandating on gas pumps explaining the gas tax delay is promoting a political message.

As a cushion for inflation, the 2023 fiscal year budget puts a hold on implementing an upcoming gas tax. Gas station retailers must place a sticker on their gas pumps notifying motorists that the tax is on hold, but will be reinstated later.

Tracy, alongside several other Republicans, thinks this is a bad move.

"It is wrong to force businesses to post political messaging, and those who don't comply should not be penalized," said Tracy.

Gas stations can be fined if they fail to post the stickers. 

Heart of Illinois ABC news reports that the Illinois Fuel & Retail Association will fight the state over the gas tax sticker requirement. "You can't force businesses in Illinois, or in any state, to participate in speech they disagree with or that they don't want to participate in," said Josh Sharp, CEO of the Illinois Fuel & Retail Association.

"This is political speech," Sharp told The Center Square. "This is telling people about a tax cut, and to us, again, forcing retailers to post those signs under the threats of fines or penalties is unconstitutional."

Tracy isn't the only legislator who isn't a fan of the provision for the gas tax.

"Under the Democrats' plan, you're going to see two inflation-based increases on the motor vehicle fuel tax on gasoline next year, once on Jan. 1 and then again on July 1 of next year," Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) told The Center Square. "That's not providing real relief to taxpayers."