On Wednesday, the Illinois Policy Institute released an annual State of the State analysis of Illinois’ economic performance. The nonpartisan nonprofit’s research recommends two key policy solutions ahead of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s next public address.  Chief economist Orphe Divounguy offered the following statement:

“A look around Illinois’ struggling cities and towns reveals a state that can no longer sit idly by and wait for change. Our governor and General Assembly have a massive opportunity this year: enact meaningful reforms to benefit those in need.
 
“Until now, our budget has been shackled and suffocated by rising costs that taxpayers can simply never keep up with. Social services have suffered. Schools have suffered. Meanwhile, the government continues taking more money Illinoisans need to care for their families.
 
“Since the decade began, Illinois has experienced the greatest population loss of any state in the nation. This period of decline has had detrimental effects on the economy.
 
“Job seekers in Illinois spend an extra month looking for work, compared to the national average, or give up altogether. The weak job climate means that when someone decides to pack up and leave Illinois, it’s usually in search of better opportunities.
 
“As we move into the new legislative session, lawmakers must address the root causes of our state’s pain. Both state and local budgets have been heavily burdened by our pension costs. But a constitutional amendment that would protect already-earned benefits while allowing for changes to the growth in future benefits would lay a foundation for income tax and property tax relief for the most vulnerable Illinoisans.”