SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The volley over a proposal to end the statewide 1% grocery tax in Illinois continues.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposed eliminating the tax during his State of the State speech. Municipalities criticized the move, saying they could be out of $325 million in tax revenue.

Pritzker repeated his response Tuesday at an unrelated event, saying local governments could implement the tax if they wanted.

Republican state Sen. Jason Plummer was surprised the governor supports local control.

Plummer said at the end of the day, it’s the governor’s proposed increased spending based on other regressive taxes or one-time money that’s the problem.

The Mount Vernon City Council approved a resolution during its Monday night meeting that urges the state to restore revenue that would be lost to municipalities if the state grocery tax is permanently repealed.

City Manager Mary Ellen Bechtel said the City of Mt. Vernon could lose $1.2 million from its General Fund if the food tax is repealed.