Chambana Sun

Dan Caulkins wastes little time getting to the specifics when talking about a new Pew Charitable Trusts study that finds Illinois lags behind every other state in personal income growth.

“I think it’s reflective of how all the good paying jobs have left this state over that time,” he told the Chambana Sun. “The reason we are so low is that most of those jobs have left because of the state’s dire financial situation. It’s not just that people aren’t getting raises, it’s that the jobs are so low paying to begin with that we find ourselves behind the eight-ball, even more, when the bigger companies leave because of the high taxes, regulations and worker’s compensation laws.”

Pew researchers found Illinois is now home to the second slowest annual income growth in the country over the last decade at just 0.7 percent after adjusting for inflation. The national average stands at 1.6 percent over that time, leaving the state trailing only Connecticut and tied with Mississippi for slowest growing income levels.

Jennifer McMillin

“I talk with voters every day and the No. 1 reason they give for wanting to leave Illinois are high taxes,” said Caulkins, who is running against Democrat Jennifer McMillin in the 101st House District. “Also, people go where the work is and I don’t understand what democrats don’t get about job creation. Where do they think the money comes from for all the programs they want if they stand in the way of job creation.”

The Illinois Policy Institute (IPI) attributes many of the state’s ongoing problems to a pair of record-breaking income tax hikes in 2011 and 2017, never-ending property tax increases and rising pension liabilities.

The 2011 tax hike eventually led to a loss of nearly $56 billion in real GDP and the more recent increase will likely bring about a similar ending, IPI states.

“The business climate is so bad businesses won’t come here and others are still leaving,” Caulkins said. “Democrats think you can just tax and tax to get where you want to go, but the truth is that has never worked.”

The 101st House District spans parts of Champaign, DeWitt, Macon, McLean and Piatt counties.