Gas Prices Rise to 4-Year Seasonal High, While Casten Promises Gas Tax Hike

Press Release

U.S. gasoline prices just rose to a four-year seasonal high on Wednesday, hurting Illinois drivers at the gas station and driving up the prices of consumer goods due to the additional cost to businesses. With this burden weighing heavily on the 6th District, why is it that one month before the mid-term elections, Sean Casten is still promising to raise the gas tax?
The Sixth District has among the greatest number of tollways in the country, so residents have a greater vehicle tax burden than most. Sean Casten is asking to represent the people of the Sixth District in order to increase their financial burden.
Time and time again, Casten has stood firm on his intentions to raise the gas tax. On August 28, in a roundtable discussion ironically titled Infrastructure Needs in Illinois and the 6th District Congressional District, Casten stated his main solution for infrastructural improvements is to raise the gas tax on residents of one of the most taxed states in the country. Casten stated the following. "We need to raise the gas tax. The gas tax hasn't been raised since 1983."
Earlier in the campaign in a radio interview with WLS, when asked about infrastructure in Illinois, Casten said the same, "Absolutely we should raise the gas tax."
The gas tax is one of several tax hikes Casten has supported that would tax families right out of the 6th District. In a recent debate hosted by Fox 32 News, Representative Peter Roskam listed a litany of tax hikes Casten proposed in his own tax plan, and when host Mike Flannery asked point-blank "Why should taxpayers vote for you to raise their taxes?", Casten could not deny a single one.
"While Illinois drivers are shouldering the highest seasonal gas prices since 2014, Sean Casten stands resolute in his desire to raise the gas tax" said Roskam for Congress Spokesman Veronica Vera. "Illinois taxpayers are still paying for Madigan's income tax hike passed last year; however, Casten maintains his no-tax-left-untouched approach to raise the gas tax, create a new carbon tax, raise income tax, remove the cap on payroll taxes and refuses to support a property tax freeze that nearly every Illinois taxpayer pleads for--except for I suppose, select millionaires like Casten."
Casten Tax Hikes
In the most recent debate hosted by the Daily Herald Editorial Board, Casten doubled down on removing the cap on payroll taxes.
When challenged at a debate hosted by WBBM on raising taxes, Sean Casten refused to deny his intentions to raise taxes.
When pressed several times at a second debate hosted by FOX 32 Chicago, Casten again would not deny his intentions to raise taxes.
Casten has signaled his support for implementing a carbon tax via his Twitter account, including posts in 2014 and in 2015.
When asked during a radio interview with WLS about a plan to raise taxes on gas, Casten said, "…absolutely we should raise the gas tax."
Casten has been one of Madigan's most consistent supporters for a progressive tax hike and aligned with him on Illinois' 32-percent state income tax hike.
Casten stands with Madigan in opposing a property tax freeze.
Casten opposed the Governor's recent budget because he said it didn't do enough to raise taxes on Illinois residents.

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