McHenry Times

Illinois state Rep. Dan Ugaste (R-Geneva) is lamenting the state's position near the bottom of the list of a U-Haul report showing one-way trucks leaving the state.

"Only behind California, U-Haul shows Illinois at 49th for a third year in a row, indicating the largest net losses of one-way trucks moving out," the congressman said in a Jan. 18 Facebook post.

The U-Haul report augmented U.S. Census estimates released just before the new year that showed more than 110,000 people recently left Illinois; with high taxes, a strict regulatory environment, corruption in government and cold weather all rating among the biggest reasons for the ongoing mass exodus; a report from The Center Square said.

There is some consensus among elected officials from both sides of the aisle on what to do about the population decline. State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Dieterich) told The Center Square that the key lies in building a local economy that keeps workers from looking for better jobs in other states.