Will County Gazette

Former Republican state House candidate Rick Laib fumes Illinois is getting just what it deserves with the state’s rising outmigration problem.

“We have worked hard to discourage anyone from making a home here,” Laib told the Will County Gazette. “Illinois is beautiful and is ripe with opportunity for anyone who wants to make a living, but they cannot when so much of our legislature is committed to a path that would deter anyone from coming and encourage the rest to evacuate.”

Laib argues the proof is in the numbers, pointing to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data that shows Illinois is one of just four states to have lost population over the last decade with nearly 170,000 people having fled the state.

Over that same time, researchers note at least 93 of the state’s 102 counties has lost population, with almost 49,000 residents having bolted from Cook County alone. Overall, at least 10 counties have lost at least 5,000 residents each, with Laib stressing Springfield desperately needs to get back to the basics.

“Reversing the trend of outmigration is no more difficult than running a profitable business: find what people need, and fill that need,” he said. “People want to keep more of their own money; people want to be able to practice their religion and people want to be able to work hard and not see the fruits of their labor taken away unjustly. We must work to make earning a living and building a life in Illinois attractive.”

As it is, downstate counties have been among the hardest hit regions, losing in the neighborhood of 144,000 residents since 2010 or 3.2% of its population from that time.

“If the outmigration trend does not change, we can expect more to be taken away,” Laib added. “As the people leave, so will the contributions to our state budget.”