East Central Reporter

Chris Miller understands the frustration of a growing number of residents helplessly thinking of fleeing Illinois due to high taxes and government problems.

“Before I got in the race, my wife made me promise that if we don’t win we would consider doing the same thing,” Miller, running against Democrat Shirley Bell in the 110th District, told the East Central Reporter. “I feel a real need to be part of the change in Springfield.”

Miller’s drive is heightened by a new Illinois Issues Survey of voters. The findings show that 53 percent of residents polled by the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois Springfield have  considered leaving Illinois to escape rising taxes and government dysfunction.

Shirley Bell

Further analysis by the Illinois Policy Institute finds much of that dissatisfaction runs deep and is evenly split among various subgroups.

Nearly three in four, or 74 percent, residents believe the state is on the wrong track, while 64 percent of all respondents in households with incomes of up to $100,000 admit they too have considered moving.

In the end, the results mirror a 2016 survey by the Paul Simon Public Institute that found 47 percent of residents would rather be somewhere else, with high taxes ranked as the biggest gripe among those polled.

“I’ve heard story after story of people feeling abused and stressed out over what’s happening in Springfield,” Miller said. “That’s a lot of money we’re being forced to pay to a group that has proven to be unable to effectively manage.”

With House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) still in power and Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker lurking in the wings, Miller said even more people have decided to take their fate in their own hands.  

“They’ve stopped complaining and are actually doing something by voting with their feet,” he said. “All they can see is just more of the status quo.”

Democrats like his opponent have only offered more taxes, and more borrowing and spending as solutions to the state's problems, Miller said.

“It’s the only thing they know,” he said. “It seems they have a brain drain on everything except how to take more money out of the pockets of taxpayers.”

The 110th House District includes Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Edgar and Lawrence counties.