East Central Reporter

Corruption and "terrible economic" regulations are why Illinois is one of the states with the highest outmigration, a Shelbyville Republican said.

"Decades of corruption and terrible economic policies are the driving factors in why Illinois is continuing to lose population," Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) told the East Central Reporter. "The Democrat majority in the House and the Senate wants to pretend that their policies have nothing to do with the mass exodus, but the truth is the people who I talk to that have either left or are in the process of leaving Illinois all cite the high taxes in Illinois as the reason behind their decision."

In January, Illinois Policy reported that two of the largest moving companies in the country concluded that upward of 60% of interstate moves served by them on behalf of Illinois residents were of the outbound variety.

With taxes and lack of job opportunities ranking among the biggest reasons for many deciding to walk away, researchers find it all adds up to the state experiencing its most extensive outmigration levels in 2020 since World War II, Illinois Policy reported.

Halbrook said the mass exodus could continue barring a major shift in policy and direction in Springfield.

For Republicans like Halbrook, a change within the chambers' leadership is an opportunity to better Illinois.

Lawmakers voted on Jan. 13 to install state Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch (D-Hillside) as House speaker, replacing Rep. Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), ending his nearly four decades-long run of power. The move made Welch the state's first Black speaker.

"People are fed up with the taxes and the bad policies the democrat majority continues to force on this state," he said.