Illinois Valley Times

Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) wants Illinois to be normal.

“$19 billion. That’s how much more money Illinois would have in its coffers since 2002 if our state’s economy grew like an average state,” Rezin said in a press release. “Even average job growth in our state would have resulted in 600,000 more jobs than we have today. That $19 billion could pay for our current budget deficit and our bill backlog in one year.”

Rezin attributed the poor growth to inhibiting policies and a lack of critical reform. She blamed the Illinois workers' compensation system for blocking business expansion, and said the economic conditions are forcing residents to leave, taking the tax revenue they would contribute with them.

Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris)

“Our state offers farmland rich with the finest soil, great transportation infrastructure, a world-class technology hub, some of the best universities in the country, a workforce unlike any other, and the list of our positive attributes goes on,” Rezin said in the release. “The best is here, yet our state is the worst, financially. If our tax and economic policies were even average, imagine the growth and imagine our budget. This is one of those times where being average would make a huge – positive – difference for Illinois.”