SE Illinois News

A Carbondale lawmaker said that Illinois should be a destination for corporations and job-seekers, but isn’t because of politicians are getting serious “about solving” a high rate of residents leaving the state.

"We have to take the mass exodus from Illinois seriously," Paul Jacobs (R-Carbondale) told the SE Illinois News. "Our state should be a destination for jobs and opportunities. We are located in the center of the country."

Illinois is one of the country's highest-taxed states, which has led to people seeking cheaper alternatives outside its border.

"We have a world-class airport in O'Hare [International] Airport in Chicago," the Republican representative said. "We have rail lines, barge traffic on our waterways, and we have the third most miles of interstate highways in the nation. People should be coming here, not the other way around."

In January, Illinois Policy reported that two of the largest moving companies in the country concluded that upward of 60% of interstate moves served by them on behalf of Illinois residents were of the outbound variety.

With taxes and lack of job opportunities ranking among the biggest reasons for many deciding to walk away, researchers find it all adds up to the state experiencing its most extensive outmigration levels in 2020 since World War II, Illinois Policy reported.

Jacobs said issues could worsen before they get better, barring a significant overhaul in policy and direction in Springfield, where lawmakers recently moved to finally oust Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) as House speaker following a nearly 40-year run of being in power.

"The only way we are going to solve the mass exodus program is for the Legislature to finally get serious about solving it," he said.

Earlier this month, state Rep. Emmanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) was installed as Madigan's replacement.