Rising prices growing concern in Illinois, U.S.

By Jim Talamonti
The Center Square

As voters express growing concern over inflation, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says federal policies are to blame.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2026 Consumer Price Index report shows overall consumer prices up 4.2% over the last year.

The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers in the Midwest region, which includes 12 states, advanced 1.1% in May, and the energy index increased 10%.

Pritzker said electricity, housing and grocery prices are all up.

“Failed policies coming out of Washington like wars, retrograde energy policies and tariffs are causing inflation to rise,” the governor said when he signed the fiscal year 2027 state budget in Chicago on Tuesday.

Although fuel prices have decreased in recent weeks, AAA’s Illinois average for regular unleaded remains well more than a dollar more per gallon than it was one year ago. The average Illinois price of diesel on Wednesday was $5.44 per gallon, up from $3.55 on June 17, 2025.

Illinois House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, said the state record-high $55.9 billion spending plan signed by the governor puts more pressure on family budgets.

“Illinois families deserve real solutions to the rising cost of living, not nearly $56 billion in spending, $800 million in new taxes and the same budget gimmicks that have failed taxpayers for years,” McCombie said.

According to The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights, 43% of registered voters across the country included inflation or price increases among their top three concerns in June, up from 37% in March.

Noble Predictive Insights founder Mike Noble told The Center Square Daily that voters are feeling the economic pain point.

“They’re just feeling the inflation now even more than ever. It’s been a top issue for at least the last six or nine months, but it just shows that the electorate now, they’re hurting and hurting bad. Inflation is not getting better for them. It’s getting worse,” Noble said.

Respondents ranked government corruption, the economy and jobs next after inflation.

“Cost of living just still dominates,” Noble said.

Brett Rowland contributed to this story.