Marilyn Smolenski says Internal Revenue Service data indicate why a record number of Illinoisans have fled to neighboring states for better opportunities in recent years.
Citing IRS statistics that in 2015 the state lost 42,000 tax returns equating a net loss of 86,000 residents, the Park Ridge Republican vying for the seat held by Rep. Marty Moylan (D-Des Plaines) in the 55th District, told the North Cook News she has heard first hand why.
“As I canvassed residents this fall, the No. 1 reason for leaving was that taxes are too high,” Smolenski said. “It’s understandable that people and businesses are leaving as fast as they can due to high tax burdens and weak economic growth.”
Smolenski, running in the district that includes Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights and the Northwest Side of Chicago, said the loss of millennials is what is most upsetting.
“An important indicator of future growth is a young and eager workforce,” Smolenski said. “According (to) the IRS data, millennials are the leading number of those leaving Illinois and this is dangerous because the outflow of millennials combined with high housing prices and economic instability is not attractive to new businesses.”
The top five states millennials and long-time residents are fleeing to are Florida, Texas, Indiana, California and Arizona, according to the Illinois Policy report “New IRS Data: Illinois Sees Record Loss of People, Income to Other States.”
Smolenski, who owns Nickel and Lace, a women’s concealed bodywear holster brand, said millennials are tech-savvy innovators who will climb the ranks and be our future leaders, and losing them is detrimental to the state’s economic growth.
The only way to keep young and older residents in the state is by changing the status quo, according to Smolenski, a Republican Women of Park Ridge board member.
“Voting out incumbents will throw a wrench in the machine and help to change the unethical environment in Springfield,” Smolenski said. “We have a new group of leaders who want to implement legislative term limits for elected officials.”
The House hopeful said a new panel of politicians like herself will clear out the entrenched career politicians and make way for productive change.
“Politicians have failed us with decades of poor policy and lack of spending reform,” Smolenski said. “Our families shouldn’t have to leave the communities they love because of politician’s bad policies. I’m going to Springfield to fight for our families and our businesses."
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