East Central Reporter

Illinois has ranked 36th in the latest "Safest States in America" survey by WalletHub, according to a report from The Center Square. The survey assessed all 50 states using 52 indicators across five categories. Illinois placed 36th in emergency preparedness, 31st in personal and residential safety, 24th in workplace safety, and 19th in road safety.

State Representative Chris Miller commented on the findings, stating, "We had close to 600 homicides last year and that doesn’t strike me as making anybody feel very safe. We’re known kind of not only as the murder capital of the U.S., but also the corruption capital. When I think about safety and security, I don’t think about the state of Illinois. The business climate is one of the most hostile climates that exists. Everyday people and businesses are shutting down."

Miller attributed many of the state's challenges to policy decisions at the state level. "I think that you trace all this stuff to bad public policy, and the Democrats have a supermajority," he said. "They have 78 legislators in the House and the vast majority of them live in Cook and the collar counties. There’s a reason why we have nicknamed the state capital the ‘bad idea factory.’ The business climate is one of the most hostile climates that exists."

He also noted his longstanding concerns about Chicago's influence on statewide issues. In 2019, Miller joined other Republican lawmakers in signing a letter proposing separation from Chicago as a means to address corruption.

Miller, who is a Republican, was elected to represent Illinois' 101st House District in 2023, succeeding Reggie Phillips.

More details on Illinois’ ranking can be found at The Center Square: https://www.thecentersquare.com/illinois/article_73eae5c8-7396-47b6-9401-87a8e3ec0121.html