Who did that

Pat Quinn

Governor of Illinois (2009–2015)

Photo: Chris Eaves · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

“This is a temporary income tax to deal with the immediate fiscal emergency our state faces.”

Quinn, January 2011 — signing a temporary 5% income-tax increase (from 3%) after promising to veto anything over 4%. The 5% rate later dropped to 3.75% on 1 Jan 2015 (see table); the legislature raised it to 4.95% in 2017.

Rates last moved while in office

Rate changes dated while they held the office that keeps that tax — mayor for city, governor for Illinois, president for federal, Cook Board president for county. Dated while in office is not authorship: a governor who vetoed a hike that the legislature overrode still shows that date under their term. A bigger standard deduction is a tax cut. Renewed means a cut was made permanent.

Cut or renewed

When	Tax	What happened
1 Jan 2015	Illinois income tax	5% to 3.75%

Raised or added

When	Tax	What happened
1 Jul 2012	Illinois other-tobacco tax	18% to 36%Illinois other-tobacco tax 18% → 36% of the wholesale price (P.A. 97-0688, signed by Gov. Quinn).Source
24 Jun 2012	Illinois cigarette excise	98¢ to $1.98 a packIllinois cigarette tax $0.98 → $1.98 a pack (P.A. 97-0688, signed by Gov. Quinn).Source

Rates still in force, last set while in office

These rates have not moved since they were set, so the ledger’s plate for each one names the officeholder on that date. Each line links to its official source.

When	Tax	What happened
1 Jan 2014	Illinois medical cannabis tax	set at 7%7% privilege tax on cultivating medical cannabis.7% privilege tax on cultivating medical cannabis. From 1 Jul 2026 it applies to the cultivator's first-sale receipts; the rate did not change. Source
1 Jan 2013	Illinois estate tax	set at 0.8–16%Illinois estate tax exclusion raised from $3.5 million to $4 million for deaths on or…Illinois estate tax exclusion raised from $3.5 million to $4 million for deaths on or after 1 Jan 2013. Source
1 Jan 2012	Illinois Tollway / tolls	set at 75¢ for a typical car toll with I-PASSPassenger-car tolls raised for Move Illinois: a typical mainline toll 40¢ → 75¢ with I-PASS.Passenger-car tolls raised for Move Illinois: a typical mainline toll 40¢ → 75¢ with I-PASS ($0.80 → $1.50 cash). Car tolls unchanged since. Source
1 Sep 2009	Illinois beer / cider gallonage	set at 23.1¢ a gallonIllinois beer tax 18.5¢ → 23.1¢ a gallon.Source
1 Sep 2009	Illinois distilled-spirits gallonage	set at $8.55 a gallonIllinois spirits tax $4.50 → $8.55 a gallon.Source
1 Sep 2009	Illinois wine gallonage	set at $1.39 a gallonIllinois wine tax (up to 14%) 73¢ → $1.39 a gallon.Source