Illinois Democrats Promote Back-to-School Tax Relief Amid Rising Costs for Families (Springfield, IL) – Illinois Democrats are highlighting new state tax relief measures aimed at helping families manage higher back-to-school expenses, while blaming President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for rising household costs.
Ahead of the start of the new school year, the Democratic Party of Illinois said many families are struggling with the increasing cost of school supplies, groceries and transportation.
According to the party, 45% of parents nationwide expect to take on debt to pay for back-to-school purchases this year. The release also cites rising prices for breakfast foods and notes that gasoline in Illinois continues to average more than $4.33 per gallon.
To offset some of those costs, Illinois lawmakers approved a temporary pause in the annual motor fuel tax increase and established a 10-day back-to-school sales tax holiday, reducing the state’s sales tax on qualifying school supplies and clothing by 5%.
Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Lisa Hernandez said the tax relief is intended to help families facing higher costs.
“Donald Trump said he would lower costs, but our families have been stretching their wallets ever since he took office thanks to his unaffordable agenda,” Hernandez said in a statement. “While Trump and Illinois Republicans continue to ignore the affordability crisis they created, Illinois Democrats are fighting hard to lower costs for our families. Illinois Democrats’ sales tax holiday initiative will put money directly back into families’ pockets when they need it most, and pick up the slack Trump’s agenda has created.”
The Democratic Party also pointed to estimates that the average U.S. family will spend nearly $4,000 per child during the 2026-27 school year, representing a 10.7% increase from the previous year.
The party further argued that higher fuel costs are increasing expenses for families preparing to send students to college, including moving supplies, shipping costs and travel.
The statements are part of ongoing political messaging as Democrats and Republicans continue to debate the causes of inflation and rising consumer costs ahead of the November elections.
Illinois Democrats Promote Back-to-School Tax Relief Amid Rising Costs for Families
