New Poll: Taxes #1 Reason For Considering Illinois Exit

A new poll of registered Illinois voters confirms what many already know: High taxes are the leading reason Illinoisans consider moving out of the state.

According to Illinois Policy:

The 2018 Illinois Issues Survey, conducted by the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois Springfield and NPR Illinois, found that 53 percent of respondents have considered leaving Illinois in the past year. Among them, 39 percent cited comparatively lower taxes in other states as their “primary reason.” Better job opportunities and a negative outlook on state government and politics followed as the primary reason for 15 percent and 14 percent of respondents, respectively.

According to the poll, middle-class households spend quite a bit of time on the idea of leaving the state. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents with a household income between $60,000 and $100,000 have considered moving out of Illinois. That figure moves to 59 percent for those with an income over $100,000.

As far as whether or not Illinois is "on the right track," nearly three-quarters (74%) think that we're definitely on the wrong track, with only 14 percent feeling as though our state is hitting all the right notes.

These results echo a 2016 poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute. The 2016 poll found that, overall, 47 percent of respondents would prefer to move out of Illinois and high taxes were also the leading reason.

Click here to read the full report from Illinois Policy.