Illinois drivers face automatic yearly gas tax increases without lawmakers ever voting on the hikes, according to a June 10, 2026 analysis from the Illinois Policy Institute. The report reveals that Gov. J.B. Pritzker's 2019 "Rebuild Illinois" plan created automatic inflationary adjustments in the state gas tax, which could reach over $1 per gallon by 2056. What was once a stable 19-cent tax now climbs every year with no end date, turning temporary relief into a permanent escalator.
The numbers tell a stark story. The state went almost 30 years without raising the tax, which was 19 cents a gallon from 1990 to 2019. Then Pritzker doubled the tax to 38 cents a gallon as part of his infrastructure program. But the bigger change came with automatic yearly increases linked to inflation. The report projects that the gas tax could more than double in the next 30 years, reaching over $1 a gallon—five times more than before Pritzker took office. This year, a 1.3-cents-a-gallon increase was slated to kick in July 1, though the governor paused it for six months. Meanwhile, the state's Road Fund held over $3.7 billion at the end of fiscal 2025, and federal data shows that 80.4% of Illinois roads were considered acceptable in 2024, fewer than in 2015, when the gas tax was still 19 cents.
The report finds that "the automatic increases allow lawmakers to avoid having to pass an unpopular tax hike and justify it to voters". It also notes that lawmakers can claim credit when they pause the hikes, saying it's tax relief for residents. According to the analysis, Pritzker's temporary reprieve "does nothing to change the long-term reality of yearly automatic gas tax increases". The report points out that despite drivers paying the nation's second-highest gas taxes, road conditions have actually declined. It also reveals that lawmakers divert sales tax revenue on gas from the Transportation Fund to fill budget shortfalls, with the fiscal 2027 budget redirecting $150 million in unexpected gas sales tax revenue.
The automatic escalator creates a political shield for elected officials while locking in decades of higher costs. Because there's no expiration date on the annual adjustments, Illinois drivers will likely pay more each year unless lawmakers actively vote to stop it. The report emphasizes that gas taxes hit working families the hardest, as middle- and low-income Illinoisans often drive older, less fuel-efficient vehicles and spend a larger share of their income commuting. The Illinois Tollway Board is even considering adding automatic inflationary adjustments to passenger tolls, despite reporting its highest collections and net revenue in state history. With billions sitting unused in road funds and infrastructure conditions worsening, the mechanism turns what should be a policy debate into a foregone conclusion.
The report's bottom line is clear: lawmakers should be required to vote on state gas tax increases rather than let automatic increases allow them to avoid scrutiny from their constituents. Without legislative action, Illinois drivers face a 30-year climb toward a gas tax that could quintuple from its pre-2019 level. Every fill-up becomes a reminder that taxes can rise without representation—and that "temporary" relief means nothing when the next increase is already scheduled.