Totaling the unsustainable tax increases and windfall revenue during Pritzker Administration – Wirepoints
May 26, 2026
23 Comments
With $162 billion more from taxpayers, couldn’t you deliver a few bond upgrades, too
-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Audio and summary 
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.
According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis per capita personal income in Missouri is about $9,500 less than in Illinois. So I guess to save 5k in taxes by moving to Missouri you will reduce your income by 10k. In the other border states per capita personal income: Iowa and Indiana 10k less than Illinois, Kentucky 16k less, Michigan 11k less, and Wisconsin 7k less. It’s all about tradeoffs.
Interesting as my oldest, a pharmacist, moved to Missouri for a better paying job and pays less taxes. I guess it depends on individual circumstances rather than the extra wide brush you seem to be painting with
Your dime brings up an excellent and true point. We all make trade offs in our life and while some may be able to save some money on taxes most people are looking at their overall financial picture and quality of life. While your oldest is making more and paying less in taxes, that doesn’t mean that most people making such a move would also benefit. However, you are correct that everyone’s circumstances will vary. A retired couple in their 50’s pulling down 400k in retirement income (pensions, IRAs) won’t pay any Illinois income tax vs 17k in Missouri. They… Read more »
Thanks for the financial analysis of the retired couple in their 50s pulling down 400k per year. Because why wouldn’t that couple be representative of the effects of Illinois taxation?
Just when I thought you had become the psychoanalyst who diagnoses everyone as suffering from severe jealousy, you bring back the Marie Antoinette persona. Bravo.
Keep raising taxes and the people will keep leaving.
Many people who have left call their friends and tell them how nice it is to live without high crime and taxes. The only way to change Illinois is to get out of Illinois for your family’s economic future.
Every time you move you give up some things and get others. You might well be deliriously happy for awhile, but maybe a year or two later regrets will tweak at you. You’ve given away your extended family life, your social network, the places you’ve treasured for dinners out, etc. In short, you’ve given up things that many treasure and will forever disparage as great losses. But, yes, you’ve saved some tax money. Try convincing your spouse and your other fanily members that your new residence is the better place to live. Some will agree, but my bet is that… Read more »
Leaving doesn’t like his family. One of his family members has a very attractive pension and that makes him jealous and angry. Imagine hating on a family member because they chose a career that offered a pension. Very sad.
That’s a hard pill for some to swallow. Some friend or family member you’ve known for many decades has a better economic life than you do? That’s grounds for an insult or even hatred as many would see it. After all, as anyone can plainly tell they didn’t “earn” it, they’ll quickly say. It requires a generous spirit to praise your fellow man’s accomplishments, and having a deficit there means you’ll be hard pressed to do so. I’d suppose that might also apply to some well known self-centered political leaders who revel in denigrating their fellow man,, but I’ll let… Read more »