Critics say Illinois Dems trying to pull fast one, force businesses to display ‘free election year advertising’

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Desperate Illinois Democrats are attempting to pull a fast one, passing legislation that would require businesses to display messages that are essentially “free election-year advertising” that is unconstitutional propaganda, according to Republicans.

The legislation was shoved through early on Saturday. It mandates that privately-owned gas stations display stickers on their gas pumps telling customers that the Illinois government has delayed a gas tax until after the upcoming election. The powers-that-be in the state including Governor JB Pritzker were going to slap residents with a 2.2-cent-per-gallon tax on July 1. They have now postponed it until January 2023 after the midterm elections, according to Fox News.

“As of July 1, 2022, the State of Illinois has suspended the inflation adjustment to the motor fuel tax through December 31, 2022. The price on this pump should reflect the suspension of the tax increase,” the stickers state.

Grocery stores are also required to post a note on receipts “to the extent feasible” that the state has suspended the 1 percent grocery tax for a year. The message on the receipts must state, “From July 1, 2022 through July 1, 2023, the State of Illinois sales tax on groceries is 0%.”

The legislation advises that “if it is not feasible for the retailer to include the statement on any cash register tape, receipt, invoice, or sales ticket issued to customers, then the retailer shall post the statement on a sign that is clearly visible to customers. The sign shall be no smaller than 4 inches by 8 inches.”

The requirement has justifiably infuriated state Republicans and business leaders. They contend that the legislation is a slippery way to boost Democrats’ election-year advertising efforts, requiring that businesses post political propaganda.

It gets even worse. If a gas station refuses to comply with the sticker edict, it will be fined $500 a day. Totaling up potential fines for those who object to being forced to display the message could cost a business $65,500 in penalties that accrue between July 1 and November 8, Election Day.

Josh Sharp, who is the CEO of the Illinois Fuel and Retail Association, asserted before the vote took place on Saturday that it is an unconstitutional infringement on the First Amendment rights of business owners.

“This industry won’t be forced into offering free election-year advertising for the governor,” Sharp declared, according to Illinois Policy. “Ordering businesses to take part in speech that is compelled by the government under the threat of fines and criminal penalties is unwise and unconstitutional.”

He vowed that retailers would sue over the requirement.

The Illinois state legislature is controlled by Democrats. Pritzker and his political cohorts passed a gas tax increase in 2019 that doubled the existing tax from 19 to 38 cents. The real kicker in the legislation was that the gas tax would keep increasing to adjust for annual inflation, something that many contend should be the purview of the business owner, not the government. It’s that increase that has been delayed until January to allegedly sway political outcomes in the elections.

Illinois Policy also reported, “Illinoisans pay the second-highest gas taxes in the nation since the gas tax was doubled in 2019. Those taxes were intended to support $45 billion in infrastructure spending, but the projects were riddled with pork including dog parks, pickleball courts and money for political cronies who never sought the funds.”

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8 thoughts on “Critics say Illinois Dems trying to pull fast one, force businesses to display ‘free election year advertising’

    1. Of course it doesn’t. The Democrats don’t care because they control the state with unlimited funds and the court system is very, very slow when it wants to be. The best way to fight this would be to comply BUT also post a sign (in the case of gas stations) pointing out that in 2019 this administration DOUBLED the gas tax and then wasted the money. Also that they are only DELAYING the increase until after they have been re-elected. Grocery stores should post a sign saying that the unjustified tax is only being delayed until the Democrats are re-elected.

  1. The Democrat Party in Illinois is especially slimy, and many elected Democrats only serve to enrich themselves, their families and friends.

  2. This might work IF… really BIG “IF” … businesses are allowed to choose what political advertising THEY will display. You know that wasn’t included because even dumbest dems know businesses will never support them willingly.
    Must be demoncraps running this show now. Had to load 3 times to get comment posted. Got some nonce invalid crap again!

  3. WTF, come on BPR, now I have to sign in on every separate article just to read comments,,this site is going downhill….FJB….
    sympl1

    1. 😆😆😆. My wife just asked me what I was laughing about. 🤣🤣🤣.

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