The 16 gallon tank in my car was coughing empty after a week of my day to day life; naturally I filled it with the liquid gold we call gasoline. That trip cost me $65 but I only made $112 that week from my minimum wage job and poof, my paycheck was gone in 5 minutes.

In the second half of 2020, the tax price for gasoline within Illinois rose about $0.38, and in 2022, up until June 30, gas tax prices will rise about another $0.39. This does not include the overall increase of demand for gas as the U.S. economy opened this year after the beginning of the pandemic according to Illinois Revenue. If you think gas prices are ridiculous now, just wait a few years because it is only going to get worse.

Having good gas mileage and small distances to drive is the best money saver. I learned with Ms. Larson, a math teacher at DGS, someone who lives nearby with good gas mileage.

“Depending on the gas price, I usually spend somewhere between $30-$40…(I fill my gas) no more than every 2 weeks because I’m super lucky I don’t really share my car with anyone,” Larson said.

Most people dream of paying so little for gas in a longer length of time, but on the contrary. Ryan Czaplicki, a Senior at Lemont High School, pays around $70 per tank of gas. Tommy Yednock, a Junior at DGS said,

“I pay something like $50 [per tank].”

Pockets suffer just as much these days as many pay 50 dollars or more to fill up a tank of gas. From personal experience, if you commute 30 minutes to and from work 5 times a week, then drive to go get dinner once in awhile, you will be near the end of your tank of gas at the end of the week, bracing the moment you slide your debit card into the money shredding gas pump.

Hopefully, people invest more into electric vehicles. A Tesla can cost $37,000 for the “Model 3” and seem to be well within reach of middle class Americans who put down monthly payments for a new car anyways.
Is there an end in sight to this issue? Sadly not.

Inflation does naturally increase the price of goods such as gas and our government does need to keep the current inflation law in place. Each year the cents will increase overtime but it is for the better as an appropriation for inflation the consumer, all of us, to be able to afford gas. It is just another price tag we have to swallow.

Depending on your type of vehicle and how much you drive, your gas bill will only get higher as the Illinois gas tax increases every year for inflation. Whether the state policy is effective or not, I sure hope it lowers gas prices in the future because 10 years from now I might have to sell my kidney to get to work.