Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois House candidate Peter Breen (R-Lombard) fears that new data from the U.S. Census Bureau tying a $32 billion loss to outmigration over the past decade may be only part of a script that is becoming more tragic every day.

“The exodus from Illinois is one of the biggest tragedies in state government of the 21st century so far,” Breen told the DuPage Policy Journal. “The exodus of people and business moving out of Illinois is going to be studied in history classes in generations to come as an example of how corrupt and confiscatory government policies change people's behaviors to the point they would uproot their entire families.”

Running against incumbent state Rep. Terra Costa-Howard (D-Glen Ellyn) in the 48th District, Breen suspects Gov. J.B. Pritzker's progressive income tax proposal could produce more heartache if passed in November. According to the Census Bureau's figures, the taxpayers that stand to carry the heaviest burden of the proposed system are the ones most able and likely to put Illinois in their rear-view mirror.

Illinois state Rep. Terra Costa-Howard (D-Glen Ellyn)

Illinois has already lost more residents than any other state in the U.S. over the last 10 years, with the exodus sending about $5.6 billion in adjusted gross income to other states in 2018 alone. Breen argues that enough is enough and it is time to cut our losses and change course.

“The greatest challenge facing this state is ridding ourselves of the corrupt, socialist policies that have gripped our state,” Breen said. “We have to do everything we can to give people confidence in state government and in a future in this state.”

With taxes having been identified as the top reason why Illinoisans say they want to leave, Pritzker’s progressive tax would add $3.4 billion to the burden of those earning $250,000 and higher each year. The census data also shows that it is that very demographic that is leaving Illinois the fastest and that the state is losing more than twice as many wealthy residents as it is attracting.

Still, the Democratic majority in Springfield continues to approve major tax hikes that ultimately will have no one left but the middle and working classes to pay them as the state's “wealth flight” grows even greater.

“Illinois Democrats have no recognition of this,” Breen said. “Being blind to situation is not going to fix it. State government in Illinois is bankrupt and Democrats' solution is to open up another credit card to keep the spending spree going.”