Gov. JB Pritzker Touts Plan To Suspend Sales Tax On Groceries

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Gov. JB Pritzker is hoping to ease the pinch of inflation with a proposal to suspend the state's sales tax on groceries for one year.

"Whether it's supply chain issues or global oil prices, we can't pick the ways that the pandemic affects our lives, but what government must do is soften the impact in the ways that we can," Pritzker said Friday afternoon.

Calling it a regressive tax that hits low-income Illinois families hardest, the governor's proposal would halt collection of the 1% sales tax on groceries for one year, as part of a $1 billion package of tax breaks he has included in his budget plan for the next fiscal year.

Republicans have blasted the governor's plan as a campaign gimmick.

The governor's budget plan also would cancel a planned gas tax increase, and offer new property tax rebates.