SE Illinois News

State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) points to Gov. J.B. Pritzker and House Speaker Mike Madigan as easy symbols of everything that’s wrong in Springfield.

“It all starts at the top and every top Democrat seems to think taxing citizens even more is the way to solve all our problems,” Bailey told the SE Illinois News. “At this very moment, you’ve gotten Madigan talking about another tax increase and Pritzker angry that he didn’t get one he spent years trying to sell.”

Bailey laments all of it has come at a heavy price for the state, with Illinois now being just one of four states to lose population over the last decade. The steady decline has proved to be steep in numbers, with the total loss now pegged at nearly 170,000 people, including almost 49,000 residents from Cook County alone. Overall, researchers found the population has dipped in at least 93 of the state’s 102 counties, including at least 10 counties with losses of more than 5,000 residents.

Bailey sighs things figure to get worse before they get better.

“Every time someone leaves makes it harder for others to stay because taxes go up on them even more,” he said. “We need to focus on being more business so we can keep more of our residents and businesses here at home. Everyone that leaves says taxes are too burdensome and they’re going to places where they know they can do better.”

As it is, downstate counties have been among the hardest hit regions, losing in the neighborhood of 144,000 residents since 2010 or 3.2% of its population from that time.

“Even retired people living off their pensions are moving out of state to places where the living is easier and the taxes aren’t as extravagant,” Bailey said.