To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here. *** UPDATED x2 - Kennedy, DGA respond *** Illinois drops to sixth-largest state Wednesday, Dec 20, 2017 * Illinois Policy Institute… Illinois is no longer the fifth-largest state in the U.S., according to data released Dec. 20 by the U.S. Census Bureau. That title now belongs to Pennsylvania. Illinois shrank by 33,700 people from July 2016 to July 2017, the worst decline of any state in the U.S. in raw terms. In percentage terms, Illinois saw the third-worst population decline in the nation. That brought the 2017 population estimate for Illinois to 12,802,023 people. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania saw modest population growth of 18,400 people over the same time. And that was enough to overtake Illinois as the fifth-largest state in the country. The Census pegged Pennsylvania’s population at 12,805,537. The one-year spreadsheet is here. Indiana gained 32,811 people during the same one-year period. Iowa gained 14,842. Michigan gained 28,866. Ohio added 36,055. And Minnesota added 51,556. Illinois had 12,830,632 people in 2010, and then peaked at 12,890,403 in 2013 before dropping by 88,380 since then. *** UPDATE 1 *** DGA… Today, the U.S. Census Bureau released population estimates that showed Illinois is continuing to shrink under Governor Bruce Rauner. Over the past year, 33,703 people left the state. Illinois fell behind Pennsylvania and now is the 6th largest state in the nation. All of Illinois’ neighbors grew. The rate of population loss has been accelerating under Rauner’s failed leadership: 2016-2017 – Lost 33,703

2015-2016 – Lost 26,325

2014-2015 – Lost 20,387

2013-2014 – Lost 7,965

2012-2013 – Gained 11,909

[US Census, Accessed 12/20/17] Rauner made out-migration a campaign issue in 2014, and his inaugural address focused on population loss - “People are leavin’ to find jobs, or because they run companies, and they’re takin’ their jobs with `em.” Rauner continued, “One of the main reasons companies have been leaving Illinois is that they don’t have confidence in the financial condition of our state.” Rauner’s solution? He plunged the state into a budget crisis that tripled the bill backlog, sunk the state’s bond rating, and forced a max exodus from the state’s colleges and universities. Unsurprisingly, more people are leaving the state than before he became Governor. *** UPDATE 1 *** Chris Kennedy campaign… Bruce Rauner’s leadership is decimating our state and our rapid population decline is evidence of that. Illinois residents are moving to states where quality schools and economic opportunity are available to them. His budget impasse cut off social services to more than 1 million people and made it impossible for too many to see their future in our state. It doesn’t have to be this way. But, we need to do more than change our governor to fix the broken system that’s pushing people out of Illinois in droves. We have to change the way we fund our schools, the way we tax our citizens, the way we confront gun violence, and we need to hold our leaders in both parties accountable. - Posted by Rich Miller

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