Illinois is losing more residents than are moving in. For every four people that leave the state, only three people move here.
According to a study by the Illinois Policy Institute, tax rate increases in the state are pushing people away.
“People are leaving because they can’t find their jobs here,” said Ted Dabrowski, IPI Vice President of Policy. “People are leaving because they can’t find good opportunities to earn money. People are leaving because the other states are becoming much more competitive.”
Dabrowski says that, if Illinois wants to attract people and keep revenue in the state, it needs to reduce regulations, help entrepreneurs start businesses, lower taxes and put an end to corruption.
“We need to be careful not just about our spending, but about our tax policy,” said Illinois State Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine. If we’re driving productive, successful people out of our state, those are taxpayers who aren’t here to help us pay our bills anymore. ”
Murphy says solutions to keep people in the state may include addressing long-term debt issues and getting the state’s spending under control.
According to the study, Illinois has lost people and income every year since 1995 and comes in second after New York in total net loss. The two most popular destination are Florida and Texas – both states which have no personal income tax.
The non-profit Illinois Policy Institute website says it is “an independent research and education organization generating public policy solutions aimed at promoting personal freedom and prosperity in Illinois.” The IPI’s affiliated Illinois Policy Action is “working to turn free-market ideas into law.”
The Center for Media and Democracy says IPI is “backed by the pro-corporate American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and other right-wing funders, including organizations with ties to the billionaire Koch brothers.”