Illinois Senate Considers $1 Per Pack Cigarette Tax Increase

Money would be allocated to road construction projects this spring and summer.

March 17, 2011

CHICAGO - State Senate President John Cullerton proposed a $1 per pack cigarette tax increase in Illinois earlier this week, money that he plans to earmark for road construction projects, Yahoo News reports.

Earlier this year, scheduled road construction in Illinois was dealt a setback when an appellate court failed to pass a bill that would have allocated $31 billion toward construction in the state.

While lawmakers express confidence that the appellate court ruling will be overturned by the Illinois Supreme Court, the increased cigarette tax would assure construction work for this spring and summer.

Illinois previously has considered a $1 per pack increase, as recent as this past January, when the House twice rejected the proposal (while at the same time approving a 66-percent increase in Illinois?? state income tax).

Opponents of the tax increase include the Illinois Association of Convenience Stores, which has been actively fighting against the proposal, citing the much lower cigarette prices in neighboring states.

A vote on the proposed tax increase could come as early as this week.

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