Lake County Gazette

Martin McLaughlin, House Representative of Illinois, said that Democrats are harming families with new tax and fee increases approved during the veto session. The statement was made on X.

"The Real Horror Story This Halloween," said Martin J. Mclaughlin, State Representative from Illinois. "It's not ghosts or goblins haunting Illinois families — it's political vampires. Once again, Illinois Democrats waited until their victims were fast asleep last night, then crept out under the cover of darkness to whisper their favorite incantation: “Raise our taxes! Please… no more of this kind of “help."

During the 2025 fall veto session, the Illinois General Assembly approved measures to raise consumer costs through tax hikes, toll increases, and changes to energy policy. According to Illinois Policy, the package includes a 0.25 percentage-point sales-tax increase in the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) area, a 45-cent increase in tolls for passenger vehicles and a 30% hike for trucks, along with deregulation of protections on energy rates that critics argue will push up household bills. These reforms reflect the Democratic majority’s efforts to generate new revenue for transit and infrastructure amid rising affordability concerns.

Capitol News Illinois reported that one concrete outcome of the session is that the RTA vulnerable area sales tax increase is projected to raise about $478 million annually. Additionally, the toll hike for passenger vehicles could generate up to $1 billion per year. These figures underscore the significant fiscal impact of the new tax and fee changes passed by the legislature.

According to Illinois Policy and the Tax Foundation, Illinois has seen a notable decline in tax competitiveness. The state dropped from 32nd to 38th in national tax-competitiveness rankings over six years—the largest drop among Midwestern states—indicating a worsening relative tax burden and structure compared with regional peers.

McLaughlin has served as a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives for District 52 since January 2021. He previously served as Village President of Barrington Hills and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Illinois Wesleyan University. He runs a small-business pension-management firm and sits on the Revenue & Finance Committee, where he has emphasized property-tax relief and budget transparency in his platform.

The Illinois House of Representatives is the 118-member lower chamber of the Illinois General Assembly. Members are elected every two years without term limits. The Democratic Party holds a super-majority with 78 seats compared to 40 for Republicans, enabling substantial control over budget, tax, and fee legislation in the state. As such, it plays a central role in setting state revenue policy, toll frameworks, and energy-fee structures for Illinois.