Illinois Families Crushed: Pritzker Doubled Gas Tax, Hiked Property Taxes 27 Percent, Sold Out to Big Tech Data Centers
Governor JB Pritzker has turned Illinois into a high-tax nightmare for working families while handing sweetheart deals to Silicon Valley data centers. That is the accusation from Republican gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey, who is campaigning across the state with a blunt promise: undo every bit of it.
Bailey and his running mate Aaron Del Mar are laser-focused on Pritzker’s tax record. The gas tax doubled under Pritzker’s watch. Property taxes are up 27 percent since he took office. Energy policy flipped Illinois from a net exporter to a net importer. And data centers got massive tax breaks while families got stuck with the bill.
JB Pritzker doubled the gas tax, raised property taxes 27%, and sold us out to data centers. @AaronDelMar and I will undo every bit of it. pic.twitter.com/cPI4fTV0Aj
— Darren Bailey (@DarrenBaileyIL) April 21, 2026
The gas tax hit came fast. In 2019, Pritzker signed the Rebuild Illinois capital plan. The motor fuel tax jumped from 19 cents per gallon to 38 cents per gallon on July 1, 2019. That is a precise doubling. Pritzker sold it as infrastructure investment. Families saw it as another burden at the pump. Illinois already had high costs. The gas tax made commutes and family travel more expensive.
Bailey calls the gas tax regressive. It hits working families hardest. Wealthier residents absorb the cost. Lower-income families feel every cent. Inflation was already squeezing household budgets. The doubled gas tax added fuel to the fire. Literally.
Property taxes tell the same story. Illinois already ranks among the highest property tax states in the nation. Under Pritzker, local governments hiked levies. State fiscal shortfalls put pressure on municipalities. Homeowners paid the price. Property taxes climbed 27 percent since January 2019 when Pritzker took office. Chicago residents and downstate families alike saw bills balloon.
Bailey asked the question in a recent campaign video: Why did you raise property taxes in Illinois? The answer, according to Bailey, is simple. Pritzker prioritized government growth over taxpayer relief. Families are fleeing the state. Out-migration is real. High property taxes are a leading cause.
Then there is the energy flip. Seven years ago, Illinois was a net energy exporter. The state had a strong nuclear fleet and fossil fuel generation. Reliable power. Lower costs. Pritzker’s green energy mandates changed that. Regulatory pressures shuttered plants. Reliability concerns grew. Today, Illinois is a net importer. Households and businesses face higher utility costs. The grid is strained.
But the most damaging accusation involves data centers. Four years ago, Pritzker championed Illinois as the future capital of data centers. He lured tech giants like Google and Meta with massive tax incentives. Property tax abatements worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The pitch was jobs and economic growth. The reality was different.
Data centers are power-hungry. They consume enormous amounts of electricity. They strain the grid. Ratepayers foot the bill. Blackouts loom. Families pay more for less reliable power. Meanwhile, the data centers got tax breaks.
Now Pritzker is backpedaling. He recently said data centers need to be regulated and pay their fair share. Bailey seized on this. He accused Pritzker of talking on both sides of his mouth. First, Pritzker gave away the store to cronies. Now he is pivoting when the political cost becomes clear. Families got sold out.
Bailey is targeting voters across the spectrum. Republicans, independents, Democrats, even Green Party voters. His message is simple: lift all ships. Lower taxes. Pro-growth policies. Contrast that with Pritzker’s message, which Bailey mocks as raising wages and law and cost. Bailey said Pritzker made Illinois too darn hard to live in.
The question Bailey keeps asking is: What has Pritzker done in seven years? Doubled the gas tax. Raised property taxes 27 percent. Turned Illinois into an energy importer. Handed data centers tax breaks while families struggle.
Bailey and Del Mar promise to undo it all. Roll back the gas tax. Rein in property tax growth. Hold data centers accountable. Restore energy independence. Make Illinois affordable again.
Illinois faces serious challenges. Out-migration. Budget deficits. Sky-high cost of living. Progressive policies under Pritzker have not solved these problems. They have made them worse. Bailey’s pitch taps into conservative frustration with big-government overreach. Families are tired of being the ATM for Springfield’s spending spree.
The November election will decide whether Illinois continues down the Pritzker path or changes course. Bailey is betting voters are ready for a change. His no-nonsense takedown of Pritzker’s record is gaining traction. Families know their gas bills. They know their property tax bills. They know their utility bills. All are higher under Pritzker.
Bailey is offering a clear alternative. Lower taxes. Economic freedom. Accountability for corporate cronies. A government that works for families, not against them.
The stakes are high. Illinois cannot afford another term of Pritzker’s tax-and-spend policies. Families are leaving. Businesses are leaving. The state is bleeding population and opportunity. Bailey and Del Mar promise a turnaround. Whether voters believe them will determine Illinois’ future.
For now, the message is clear: Pritzker doubled your taxes, sold you out to big tech, and made life unaffordable. Bailey promises to undo every bit of it.
