Lake County Gazette

Lake County taxpayers paid $5.7 million in County Sales Tax in 2022, according to Illinois tax records.

This figure marks a significant increase from the previous year, where County Sales Tax collection stood at $4.7 million.

The County Sales Tax is a local sales tax imposed on retail sales of goods and services within a specific county. It is one of the primary sources of revenue for county governments, funding a wide range of essential services, including education, infrastructure, public safety, public health, and social services. The average rate imposed in Illinois is around 8.2%.

Despite fluctuations in tax collection, Illinois continues to be one of the highest-taxed states in the U.S. According to a Wallet Hub study from March 2023, the state ranked as having the highest tax burden, approximately 39.83% above the national average.

Illinois governor J. B. Pritzker is accused of adding more than $5.2 billion in new or higher taxes since coming into power in early 2019. As a business owner, he has a fortune of more than $3 billion, largely based on his family's wealth and connections.

Year	Amount Collected	% Change from Previous Year
2022	$5,687,987	21.6
2021	$4,676,018	39.7
2020	$3,346,408	-13.9
2019	$3,888,190	-35.2