Dear State of Illinois: 

Got a problem, Blame a Democrat

A Closer Look at Illinois: The Impact of Over Two Decades of Democratic Leadership

As Sergeant Joe Friday famously said on Dragnet, "Just the facts." So, let's lay out the facts about Illinois' situation under prolonged Democratic control.

Dominance of One Party

For more than 20 years, the Illinois House and Senate have been under Democratic majorities. The governor’s office has been predominantly occupied by Democrats, with the exception of a brief four-year stint by Bruce Rauner. Most other key constitutional offices have also been held by Democrats during this period. Major cities, whether by name or policy, have largely been under Democratic influence.

The Results

Here’s the results of one-party rule and Democratic party governance:

• Population Decline: Illinois has lost approximately 1.5 million residents since 2000. This exodus has led to an estimated $3.6 billion reduction in income tax revenue for 2020. 
  • Illinois along with only West Virginia and Mississippi saw their population decline for 10 consecutive years, 2010-2020. However, since 2020 we have lost approximately 230,000 residents.
  • Illinois leads the nation in the loss of households earning $200,000 or more.
• Unemployment Issues: Illinois holds the third-highest unemployment rate in the country at 5%. The African American unemployment rate is the second highest nationally, reflecting broader economic challenges.
• Manufacturing Jobs: While neighboring states have seen a 21% increase in manufacturing jobs over the past decade, Illinois has grown its manufacturing sector by a mere 1%.
• Political Representation: Once holding 24 U.S. House seats in the 1970s, Illinois now has 17 and may lose one or two more after the 2030 census due to shifting demographics and declining population.
• Education: Illinois became the first state to cancel a school choice program (Invest in Kids) that primarily benefited low-income and minority students. Despite spending an average of $24,000 per student, a significant number of students are not meeting grade-level standards in reading and math. In fact, only 35% of students read at grade level (1.2 million fall below), and only 27% perform math at grade level (1.4 million fall below). 
  • Notably, 67 Illinois schools have no students performing at grade level in math, and 37 schools have no students meeting grade-level reading standards. Many students who proceed to college, especially community colleges, require remedial courses in basic English/language arts or math.
• Taxes and Spending: Illinois has the second-highest property taxes, gas taxes, and the highest overall state and local taxes on median-income households. Recently enacted new taxes amount to approximately $1 billion. In addition, the state, functioning as a sanctuary state, has spent over $2.2 billion in taxpayer funds to support undocumented immigrants.
• Debt: Illinois faces a staggering $142 billion in pension debt, with Moody’s rating it as high as $330 billion. When local pension debts are included, the total debt skyrockets to around $550 billion. Pensions guaranteed by the state constitution and statute should be fully funded.
• Migration Trends: Oh and one more thing about outmigration, in the past year or so, approximately 29,000 residents have NOT relocated to states like Florida or Arizona, but just to our five neighboring states that are controlled in large part by republican governance and have a more stable governmental structure, and sane policies.  
• Crime: Looking at Chicago, the most heavily influenced democratic controlled city has seen violent crime at a six-year high. For example, over the July 4th extended weekend there were no less than 109 people shot, 19 fatally.
  • Police Lack Resources - Low Arrest Rates: The historic lows in arrests for violent crime, resulting in a 10.8% arrest rate, th arrest rate for murder sits at approximatly 21%. These low rates suggest difficulties in solving and prosecuting violent crimes, which can be due to various factors including limited resources, inadequate training, or systemic issues within the police departments.
  • Disproportionate Impact: The fact that these violent crimes disproportionately affect African American and low-income communities adds another layer of complexity. These communities often face higher crime rates and may experience more significant social and economic challenges, yet they receive fewer resources to address these issues.

In closing, the challenges facing Illinois are indeed significant, encompassing issues of population retention, economic growth, education, crime, and fiscal management. As Republicans, it is crucial that we champion fiscal policies that support, rather than burden, our small businesses and farmers. Instead of following calls to defund the police, we should advocate for fully funding frontline officers and street command staff. Once we ensure robust funding for law enforcement, we must also invest in additional professionals that provide officers with the support they need when interacting with the public. This could include non-sworn professionals skilled in mental health and addiction.

These strategies represent a thoughtful approach to addressing our state’s issues. To turn these ideas into reality, let’s focus on electing Republicans to local, county, and district positions. Together, we can work towards reorienting Illinois and creating a stronger, more prosperous future for all its residents.

Data summarized from various sources, Chicago Tribune, Champaign News Gazette, National Syndicated Columnist George Will, Wirepoints, Illinois Policy Institute and reported widely in various publications.