Illinois Leads Nation in Lost Income as Families Flee Stratton’s 'Blueprint'
SPRINGFIELD — A new report confirms what Illinois families have felt for years: people are leaving—and they’re taking opportunity with them.
According to a new analysis of latest available IRS data highlighted by the Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois lost nearly 56,000 residents and more than $6 billion in income to outmigration in 2023 alone. When measured as a share of total state income, Illinois’ losses were the worst in the nation.
That’s not a coincidence. It’s the result of policy choices. And those policies comprise what Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton calls her “Illinois Blueprint” for the country.
“Families aren’t leaving Illinois because of the weather. They’re being forced out,” said Tracy. “When a government makes life more unaffordable, and harder to build a business or raise a family, people look for better opportunities elsewhere.”
For years, Illinois has lagged in population growth. But the latest numbers suggest the problem is getting worse.
“It’s not just how many residents leave. It’s who is leaving and what they’re taking with them. We’re losing workers, families, and job creators. These are the very people we should be fighting to keep.
“Under Juliana Stratton’s extreme policy agenda taxes and fees have gone up again and again, utility bills are climbing, families are being asked to do more with less, and Illinois is replacing taxpayers with illegal immigrants.
“If Illinois is the blueprint, it’s a blueprint for decline. You don’t see states gaining population and opportunity by following this approach. You see exactly what’s happening here: families leaving and opportunity shrinking.
“I’ve spent my career working with families and small businesses. I know what it means when every dollar counts.
“I’m running to bring common sense solutions to government that will lower the cost-of-living, support working families, and make sure the next generation has a real shot at the American Dream. Right now, too many think that dream is slipping away in Illinois. And they’re leaving to find it somewhere else.”
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About Don Tracy:
Don is Senior Counsel at Brown, Hay & Stephens, the oldest law firm in Illinois, where Abraham Lincoln famously practiced law for four years. Public service is important to Don, with a lifetime spent in community service, most often in volunteer positions. He has served as Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, Chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board, Secretary of the Illinois Bar Foundation, President of the Sangamon County Bar Association, Chairman of the Illinois Corporate Acts Advisory Committee, and President of the Abraham Lincoln Association, President of the Oak Ridge Cemetery Board, among other community leadership positions. Born in Urbana, raised in Mt. Sterling in Western Illinois, and having raised his own family in Springfield in Central Illinois, Don has deep ties to "downstate Illinois." As the oldest of 12 children, family has always been important to Don.