The editors of the Wall Street Journal point out the truth of the situation that Illinois and other states are in:
Illinois’s population has declined by 157,000 over the past five years, which is equivalent to the mid-sized city of Rockford. According to research outfit Wirepoints, more than 114,000 residents left the state on net in 2018 and nearly 1.5 million people since 2000. Cold weather? While Illinois’s population has declined by 0.8% since 2010, Indiana’s has grown 3.1% and Wisconsin’s by 2.2%.
These population shifts mean that several states including New York, Illinois and Minnesota are likely to lose House seats after the 2020 reapportionment. States that have been rapidly adding population like Arizona, Florida and Texas are likely to increase their representation. It’d be nice to think this would finally prompt Democratic politicians to rethink their anti-growth policies. But with state political cultures dominated by public unions and welfare spending, they probably require a much deeper crisis to face reality.
Incoming Illinois governor J. B. Pritzker is already backing off from the platform on which he ran. Apparently, he isn’t really a guy who believes that Illinois can tax and spend its way to prosperity. He just plays one on TV.
Just met some new neighbors. A couple doors down. From Gurnee. Business owner. Moving to WI until retirement, because they can. And establishing residence here.
An above average tax contributor. Self immolation is not fun to watch.
Old story, but I remember when Detroit was offering free homes to “homesteaders”. Just move in, file the paperwork, survive for five years, and it’s yours.