Laurie McPhillips
Laurie McPhillips
Laurie McPhillips, who is running to replace retiring Nancy Schultz Voots as Will County clerk in the upcoming election, is pained by Illinois’ shrinking population.
“As a real estate agent, I’ve sold homes to people that are now actually moving out of state because of how taxes are so out of control,” McPhillips told the Will County Gazette. “Talking with people, it’s a major concern for them and no one is confident that the structure of government will help at this point.”
A recent Illinois Issues Survey suggests as much, with 53 percent of Illinois residents polled by the Center for State Policy and Leadership stating they have thought of leaving Illinois because of rising taxes and rampant government dysfunction.
Nancy Schulz Voots
Researchers concluded that 74 percent of all respondents agree that the state is on the wrong track, including nearly three in five, or 59 percent, of those residing in households with incomes over $100,000, Illinois Policy Institute states.
The findings are similar to a 2016 Paul Simon Public Policy Institute survey that found 47 percent of all residents would rather be someplace else because of high taxes.
“We need new leadership in Springfield,” said McPhillips, a Will County board member from Plainfield. “Under (House Speaker Mike) Madigan, nothing in government has been getting any better. He is a perfect example of someone having been in power for too long that is no longer working for the people.”
McPhillips worries what will become of Illinois if all the changes that are so clearly needed don’t come about soon, she said.
“I think we could lose our workforce and many of our employees along with it,” McPhillips said. “Everyone still here will be left with an even larger tax bill and we will be well on our way to being bankrupt as a state.”