In late 2024, several organizations helped form the Illinois Revenue Alliance, bringing together community groups, labor unions, and policy advocates around a broader progressive revenue agenda. This tax was one result of those efforts.
This victory also reflects years of building political power. Movement organizations created electoral and lobbying arms, made progressive taxation a priority in messaging and endorsements, and helped elect lawmakers prepared to stand up to corporate influence in both major parties.
Inside the legislature, members of the Affordability and Tax Justice Coalition pushed their colleagues to include the measure in the final revenue package. Outside, organizers launched a series of public demonstrations to show that Trump slashed food assistance and Medicaid to give more tax cuts to the rich through the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”
Organizers held actions targeting Amazon, Meta, Tesla, and Google, organized large lobby days in Springfield, visited lawmakers’ district offices, and connected residents directly with their representatives through phone banks.
At an Amazon warehouse, Medicaid recipients, healthcare workers, and community members disrupted deliveries for five hours to demand that Amazon pay what it owes in taxes and that Illinois legislators pass the digital ads tax. Twelve people were arrested.
This combination of public organizing and legislative work helped make the digital advertising tax a central part of the state’s budget debate.
Our experience provides several lessons for other states.
Successful campaigns require long-term coalitions, lawmakers willing to challenge corporate power, and a clear explanation of what’s at stake. The question is straightforward: should states cut healthcare, schools, and assistance for struggling families — or should immensely profitable corporations pay more in taxes?
States pursuing similar legislation should also clearly connect revenue to needs residents can see and understand, such as education, public transportation, affordable housing, or healthcare. Establishing that connection early can build broader public support and hold lawmakers accountable for how the money is spent.
Tech companies are expected to challenge the tax, and more revenues will still be needed. But this win proves that we don’t have to accept budget cuts as inevitable. States can require corporations profiting from their residents to help fund the public services that allow communities — and the economy — to function.
This piece was first published on our sister site OtherWords.org.
