North Cook News

Marilyn Smolenski says state lawmakers are trying to pour gas onto taxpayers already inflamed over the taxes they are forced to pay.

Smolenski, who is running to unseat Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) in District 55, wrote about a recently proposed increase in the gas tax on her Facebook page.

“I’m running for office to oppose this tax hike and the seemingly endless list of taxes being forced upon us," she posted.

Marilyn Smolenski

Smolenski said state lawmakers will be meeting this week to discuss raising the gas tax to help pay for infrastructure improvements. 

According to an article by the Illinois News Network, Rep. Dan Brady, (R-Bloomington) said there has been discussion of raising the tax but no official numbers have come out about how much it might go up.

Smolenski argues that the state has already raised taxes too much and not used the money appropriately.

“The problem isn’t the lack of funds; it’s how we’re spending it,” Smolenski told North Cook News. “So, rather than the new sales tax money going to the general fund to pay pensions and other items, it could be prioritized on infrastructure.”

Smolenski said she’ll be calling Moylan to ask him to oppose the tax increase. 

According to Smolenski, Chicago drivers pay 49.5 cents per gallon before sales tax and that Illinois is one of only seven states that apply general sales tax to gas.

“So, I really feel like this gas tax is a regressive tax that’s hitting the working class and the poor the hardest while giving people with the means to purchase hybrid cars or electric cars, things like that, a break,” Smolenski said.

Smolenski, a Park Ridge resident, is running on a platform of protecting families from being priced out of the state.

“I just think that we should always start from the perspective that our families are tapped out and the government should be finding ways to lower taxes and to improve their performance, not just adding more tax and taking more from us,” Smolenski said.

Smolenski is the owner of Nickel and Lace, a company that makes conceal-carry undergarments for women.