Pritzker Calls Out Oil Companies Over Record Profits Amid High Gas Prices
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has sent a letter to the CEOs of seven oil companies, expressing his concerns about the high gas prices in Illinois. According to AAA, the average price for regular unleaded gasoline in Illinois was $4.30 per gallon on Thursday, up from $3.42 one year ago.
Pritzker asked the CEOs to return profits to consumers and provide transparency around pricing and operations. He also requested information on executive compensation. The governor attributed the companies' record profits to President Donald Trump's war with Iran.
In a related development, Indiana Governor Mike Braun has declared an energy emergency in his state due to disruptions in global oil shipping lanes caused by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Canadian wildfires. He suspended the gas usage tax in April and added the suspension of the excise tax in May, which will remain in effect through September 5.