Why is Illinois Getting More Expensive? More Taxes

As a new state fiscal year begins Saturday, new laws and annual measures will go into effect, which might bump paychecks — and grocery and gas bills.

Minimum wage increases

The yearly increase will bring Chicago’s minimum hourly wage up to:

• $15.80, a 40-cent increase for businesses with 21 employees or more
• $15, a 50-cent increase for businesses with four to 20 employees
• Between $9 and $9.48 for tipped workers depending on the size of the business

In suburban Cook County, the hourly wage will rise to $13.70 for workers and $8 for tipped workers.

Grocery tax suspension ends

Illinoisans will go back to paying the 1% sales tax at grocery stores after the state waived the tax last year amid record-high inflation. Officials had predicted the move would save taxpayers $400 million.

Motor fuel tax resumes

Last summer, Gov. JB Pritzker delayed the annual tax hike six months. The per-gallon tax went up 3.1 cents in January and will go up another 3.1 cents this weekend, Capitol News Illinois reported. Pritzker had predicted the pause would save consumers $70 million.