SPRINGFIELD – Tuesday, the Illinois Senate decided to amend Senate Bill 9 removing the proposed beverage tax from the Senate’s budget plan after consumers expressed their outrage with the plan.
“Lawmakers heard consumers loud and clear that yet another tax that singles out thousands of common beverages adds to the burden of families and small business owners, who already work hard to balance their own budgets," Illinois Coalition Against Beverage Taxes spokesperson Claudia Rodriguez said in a statement Wednesday. "This new state tax would add to ones that already exist on beverages, causing prices to skyrocket, threaten jobs, and hurt local businesses.”
Illinois lawmakers still have tough decisions ahead, so the group strongly encourages taxpayers to continue sharing their opposition with lawmakers.
The beverage tax still remains as an attractive target to generate revenue. Updates on the tax are available from Illinois Coalition Against Beverage Taxes at noilbeveragetax.com.
"It is important that we continue to share our concerns about rising prices on our common grocery items," the group said.
