Illinois Valley Times

Illinois residents will soon be paying even more for gas than the nationally high prices they pay now because of a tax increase hidden inside the state budget.

"I think hiding taxes in last-minute legislation is something Springfield specializes in, and it certainly isn't transparent," Liandro Arellano, a Senate candidate in the 45th District, told Illinois Valley Times.

Arellano is the mayor of Dixon who now wants to speak up for more Illinoisans.

Liandro Arellano | Courtesy of Liandro Arellano

The new tax, which is supposed to raise $95 million for the state, will be doing so at the expense of the taxpayers. It comes about because legislators decided to allow a wholesaler discount to expire.

Gas prices in Chicago are 44 cents a gallon more than the national average, and the new tax will increase prices by 4 to 5 cents per gallon.

"It's a sneak attack into taxpayers wallets, and there are no reforms to match it with at all," Arellano said.

The blame, Arellano believes, falls on the shoulders of House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), who has failed to follow through with reforms that would help taxpayers. 

"That combo of new taxes and zero reform is a complete failure of leadership from Madigan, the Democrats, and from the 15 Republicans who joined Madigan," Arellano said, referring to the veto override vote the General Assembly needed to pass the budget.

On the road to election, Arellano has been spending time with a demographic that is viewed as incredibly important: Republican women.

"This week, my campaign has been focused on reaching out to some of the Republican women's groups in the 45th District," Arellano said. "Just this afternoon I spoke to a packed house of Republican women from several counties; they certainly have great influence in the party."

Arellano, who is running to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Timothy Bivins (R-Dixon), said he is grateful for all of the work and time his volunteers have contributed.

"My campaign is powered by passionate grassroots volunteers, and we're working hard," Arellano said. 

The 45th District includes all or parts of Carroll, DeKalb, JoDaviess, LaSalle, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties.