Democrats and Republicans are Missing the Point on Cost of Living
Governor JB Pritzker at a campaign photo op at a grocery store in 2022.
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OPINION
Every poll across the state and country, both before and after the election, showed the high cost of living, mostly caused by post-pandemic inflation, was the top issue for voters. But in Illinois, candidates from both parties failed miserably in communicating a strategy for making the state more affordable to live in.
On the national stage, Kamala Harris’ response to any economic question started with “I grew up a middle class kid” and wound into pablum that never actually resulted in a policy for lowering prices or increasing wages.
In Illinois, Democrats (and a few Republicans) touted the repeal of the grocery tax, which will save a few pennies per grocery visit, as the “I care” portion of their economic agenda. It doesn’t kick in until 2026 anyway, so, thanks for that.
Democrats spent most of their time talking about abortion and Republicans seemed almost allergic to saying “cost of living” in their campaigns.
Millions of people in this state live paycheck to paycheck. They’re paying a ton more for food over the past three years and their take home pay hasn’t kept up. Anyone with kids recognizes the additional cost. If you have a toddler, you’re spending so much in berries each week you could refinance Governor JB Pritzker’s Lake Geneva mansion.
Gasoline prices continue to stretch budgets thin, and lawmakers just looked away when their automatic gas tax increase took effect earlier this year. We’re getting triple-dipped on gas taxes, with a federal motor fuel tax, a state motor fuel tax, and a sales tax on top of it all.
Think about the people, especially downstate, driving 30 miles each way to work just to live paycheck to paycheck, paying more for groceries, more for gas, with mouths to feed and just trying to keep it all together.
It just doesn’t feel like politicians get it.
So what has the legislature done in 2024 to really combat these problems?
Crickets.
Listen, I know the state can’t directly reduce prices for groceries or at the hardware store. But there are certainly sales tax holidays and suspension of gas tax inflation adjustments that could or should be part of the conversation to provide people some much needed relief.
It means the legislature needs to get serious about the property tax crisis in our state. It’s an across the board problem as property tax bills ballooned in the suburbs last year and are trending in that direction in some areas downstate.
Many of these conversations, like getting more funding to schools to help bring down property taxes, or reducing income or sales taxes so people can put more money in their pockets, are big, sweeping discussions that require bipartisan cooperation and a seriousness we’re not seeing out of politicians running our state.
But I hope politicians get the message: outside of your donor class, the people you represent are struggling to make ends meet. Help them.
Help them now.