Et tu, Bears?
The Bears are not alone in fleeing the state. The franchise is following a long line of ƩmigrƩs exiting over Illinois policies, primarily the nation-leading tax and fee burden. Since 2020 alone, some 450,000 residents have left Illinois, with 95% moving to lower-tax states.
Pritzkerās 57 tax and fee increases to date have cumulatively cost taxpayers more than $77 billion. He has added another seven this year that will take an additional $800 million annually. Property taxes during Pritzkerās tenure are taking another $8.5 billion annually from taxpayers.
Lamentably, a high percentage of residents leaving are higher-income earners. Residents leaving since Pritzker took office have average annual incomes between $23,000 and more than $38,000 higher than new arrivalsālargely undocumented migrants dependent on government assistance.
The loss of young, higher-income earners to other states ranks second among those ages 26ā35 and third among those ages 35ā45 earning more than $200,000. This staggering loss portends a grim future for our state.
Half of Illinois residents polled last May said they would leave Illinois if they had the means.