With suspension of grocery tax, Illinois pushes supermarkets to display election-year Pritzker propoganda

The new budget for fiscal year 2023 includes Gov. J.B Pritzker’s election-year suspension of the 1% grocery tax, but a few months after the next governor’s inauguration, it will be back.

Grocery stores must advertise the suspension, by law, on customer receipts. If that isn’t feasible, they must display a 4-inch by 8-inch bold sign. Either option will show this message:

“From July 1, 2022, through July 1, 2023, the State of Illinois sales tax on groceries is 0%.”

Illinois is one of only 13 states to tax groceries (Missouri is another), and the only big state to do so. But grocers don’t need to display that information on receipts. During budget debates, some lawmakers suggested repealing the tax, not suspending it.

“A 1% abatement in just the cost of food is little appeasement to a working mom trying to feed her family when inflation is at 8%,” said state Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy.

Inflation doesn’t stop July 1, 2023, and neither should grocery tax relief. But forcing grocers to do your political advertising is the kind of ethical cluelessness to be expected in a state that taxes your need to eat.