Chicago Tribune Editorial: This month we’ve been publishing stories of Illinois residents who left the state in their rearview mirrors. These expatriates sought brighter opportunities elsewhere — or fled because they worried that Illinois is headed in the wrong direction. They unhitched their futures from a state awash in debt, mired in political dysfunction and hobbled by weak job growth. They worried about rising taxes (with politicians threatening more to come), declining property values or other profound impacts on their lives. “I just felt like I was never going to get ahead in Illinois,” said 30-year-old accountant Sara Niedzwiecki, who moved to Madison, Wis.
The stories hit a nerve. Many tens of thousands of people gravitated to those editorials on chicagotribune.com or learned of them via social media. Are all those readers departing? No, but as Illinois’ fortunes cloud over, more people will leave. What we call “the Illinois exodus” is real.
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