The Chicago Tribune sends a message to the political leadership of Illinois and Chicago about population decline, and its causes.
The Chicago Tribune Editorial Board is raising awareness about the consequences of a troubling exodus of residents from Illinois:
Stagnant and depreciating home values throughout Illinois have become an offshoot of what we’ve been calling the “Illinois Exodus.” Last year’s estimated net reduction of residents hit 45,116, the worst of five straight years of population decline.
The trend is especially notable in and around Chicago, according to the editorial:
U.S. census data this spring showed the Chicago metro area lost 22,000 more residents from 2017 to 2018 — a fourth straight year of losses.
According to the editorial, the exodus is caused by residents fleeing high-tax states to lower-tax states. Statewide pension debt is also driving up local property taxes, in a "double whammy" for residents, according to the editorial.
Cecilia Reyes and Patrick M. O’Connell also published a news article detailing the Illinois Exodus.
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