A new commenter writes that he is “leaving soon.”
In fact, that was his screen name when he wrote the following on Wednesday:
All of you who have commented seem to have studied and reviewed various segments of this issue in great detail.
Seems simple to me.
The economy in the State of Illinois and McHenry county has been declining in strength since 2008.
Yet taxes have increased throughout those years, with government entities seemly ignoring the condition of the county tax payers.
Business’s have had to cut budgets and employees throughout the economic downturn.
Government seems to want to “maintain” it’s position no matter what.
Voter apathy has led to no visible government leaders even on a local basis.
Your middle class have been squeezed as far as they can go.
Poor job climate, unemployed and under employed can’t maintain the tax burden.
Only answer I see, and I am in the process of implementing is leaving Illinois.
I am going to a State that has fiscally responsible leaders.
Bye.
Let’s be real.
Illinois’ weather is probably a bigger factor in this move.
Seriously, who moves because of poor state governance and high state taxes?
Where is this mythical state with that much better governance?
Here are reasons to move: kids’ school is bad, a job, high crime, family.
State taxes are not a good reason to move.
My concern is that by exaggerating the state fiscal problem, a solution will only be more difficult to find.
For the average citizen, federal tax load is much higher, and that load is the same for all states.
Let’s just say that the big problem is in Washington, and that
Surely you jest, name less.
Any state would be better than this one.
Or then again, maybe you are a rich government worker.
The following articles are from Illinois Policy Institute.
2011 Income Tax Hike Drove Wealthier Illinoisans to other States
by Michael Lucci
August 10, 2015
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/2011-income-tax-hike-drove-wealthier-illinoisans-to-other-states
New IRS Data: Illinois Lost Migration Battles with Every Midwestern State
by Michael Lucci
August 1, 2015
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/new-irs-data-illinois-lost-migration-battles-with-every-state-in-the-country
Illinois Had Record Mass Exodus in 2014
by Michael Lucci
January 7, 2015
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-had-record-mass-exodus-in-2014/
Most Illinois Cities are Shrinking, According to U.S. Census Bureau
by Michael Lucci
June 7, 2015
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/most-illinois-cities-are-shrinking-according-to-u-s-census-bureau
Illinois Had Record Mass Exodus in 2014
by Michael Lucci
January 7, 2015
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-had-record-mass-exodus-in-2014
Illinois Workforce Shrinks by Largest Margin in State History
by Michael Lucci
July 20, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-work-force-shrinks-by-largest-margin-in-state-history
Policy Lessons from Illinois’ Exodus of People and Money
J. Scott Moody
July 9, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/policy-lessons-from-illinois-exodus-of-people-and-money
Illinois Losing Residents At a Rate of 1 Person Every 10 Minutes
by John Klingnger
July 3, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/press-releases/illinois-losing-residents-at-a-rate-of-1-person-every-10-minutes-new-report-from-il-policy-institute
IRS Data Show More Taxpayers Fleeing Illinois
by Michael Lucci
April 28, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/irs-data-show-more-taxpayers-fleeing-illinois
High-Earners Leaving Illinois in Droves
by Michael Lucci
March 31, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/high-earners-leaving-illinois-in-droves
Illinois Has Second-Highest Rate of Outbound Migration in Country
by Michael Lucci
January 27, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-has-second-highest-rate-of-outbound-migration-in-country/
Illinoisans Flee the State for Neighbor Indiana, Missouri, and Wisconsin
by Michael Lucci
January 24, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinoisans-flee-the-state-for-neighboring-indiana-missouri-and-wisconsin
Illinois’ Sputtering Population Growth
January 9, 2014
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-sputtering-population-growth
Still Leaving Illinios: An Exodus of People and Money
J. Scott Moody
December 20, 2011
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/still-leaving-illinois-an-exodus-of-people-and-money
Census: Chicago Slowist Growing Big City in U.S.
by Hilary Gowins Yelvington
May 25, 2013
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/census-chicago-slowest-growing-big-city-in-u-s
Illinois’ High-Tax Environment Causes Historical Out-Migration
by Brian Costin
January 9, 2013
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois%C2%92-high-tax-environment-causes-historical-out-migration
Leaving Illinois: An Exodus of People and Money
J. Scott Moody
January 12, 2011
http://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/leaving-illinois-an-exodus-of-people-and-money
In Woodstock, property taxes on a median value home represent
Over 14% of median household income.
(National average, most recent available, was 3 1/2 percent).
Why feed the beast that prays upon you ?
Illinois’ fiscal crises will never be solved in
your lifetime, or that of your children and grandchildren.
Join the “Great Illinois Exodus”, or stay and be drained of
everything you and your family have ever worked for and owned.
It comes to competition and what an area is offering it’s citizens vs. the value you can receive in other places.
While some citizens in McHenry and Illinois may appreciate the heavy tax burden and feel it’s worth it, particularly if you’re part of the machine.
Even if you add up the many benefits that most die-hard hi-tax apologists love to share, most of these benefits are meaningless to me.
It makes sense to go somewhere that may not have all the little programs and mcadministators because it’s an expense will little value.
There you go Bruce, someone finally touched on it.
It’s all about ‘quality of life’, which is what government uses to justify the cost of Public Policy.
That lady’s $7K in taxes Woodstock story is incredible!
It’s Woodstock for crying out loud!
My primary residence is Dallas, not some burb, but actually in the city limits.
The Prestonwood neighborhood is the highest rated in the entire city.
Shopping, entertainment, best rated schools, with easy access to the freeways.
I actually live in the Prestonwood CC and the tight knit community actually funds its own Public Improvement District for extra Police and beautification projects (got that? If we want it, we pay extra for it. What a novel idea Illinois).
So what was my tax bill for the same size house as the Woodstock lady?
Living on a private golf course, within the Dallas City limits?
How does $2974 last year grab you?
Yes there are much better places to live than looney Illinois.
DJ if your primary residence is Texas why are you in Illinois?
Are you a political operative for the repubs?
Are you making your money here and sending it home to wifie and children?
I say let everyone who hates government not run for office or take a paycheck from government, everyone who doesn’t like it here move and everybody who works here for more money then cries about taxes stay in a right to work state.
You are no better than illegals sending their money back to Mexico, Poland or Russia.
It’s always easier to spend someone else’s money isn’t it?
If we take a little bit from everyone, we can have X.
Now X is only relevant to a rounding error of the population, but makes for a good story and is a nice cause.
Repeat infinitum…..
Not rich, and not a government worker.
I do not appreciate the high taxes, just saying that I would not move to a different state just to save 5000 /year.
People leave as personal thresholds of pain are met and exceeded.
School boards and other taxing bodies blithely allow a large percentage of population to suffer anomalous high tax rates.
This indicates a value judgement:
This evidence of motivation driving spending decisions indicates that nothing will change; the trend of taking more from taxpayers to satisfy desires of empowered spenders will continue until some personal pain threshold is met for individuals empowered to spend.
$5K a year is a lot of money to a lot of people.
A lot of people live paycheck to paycheck and that includes a lot of people with mortgages.
$5K a year is about $13 a day & $416 per month rounded down, $90K over 18 years with no interest gain.
Or, try reducing $5K from every public sector pay & pension and see the reaction.