"The beer people feel left out so we're considering adding them," quipped Illinois Senate President John Cullerton, of Chicago.

He and other key legislative leaders contemplated hiking the state's tax on beer by 2.6 cents per six-pack for the first time in a decade to help underwrite a proposed multibillion-dollar statewide construction program.

Democrat Cullerton confirmed talk of a beer tax, which would be part of a trio of liquor tax increases under consideration. Taxes of 13 cents per bottle of wine and 80 cents per bottle of hard liquor have been on the table.

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