Discovering the Hidden Dark Side of Illinois: Secrets and Scandals Unveiled
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#hidden
#darkside
#illinois
#SecretsandScandals Unveiled
#DarkSideOfIllinois
#HiddenIllinois
#IllinoisSecrets
#UnseenIllinois
#IllinoisMysteries
#IllinoisUnderbelly
#ShadowsOfIllinois
#IllinoisUncovered
#IllinoisTruths
#MysteryInTheMidwest
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.
#hidden
#darkside
#illinois
#SecretsandScandals Unveiled
#DarkSideOfIllinois
#HiddenIllinois
#IllinoisSecrets
#UnseenIllinois
#IllinoisMysteries
#IllinoisUnderbelly
#ShadowsOfIllinois
#IllinoisUncovered
#IllinoisTruths
#MysteryInTheMidwest
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TravelTranscript
00:00Illinois, the land of Lincoln, has lost population for the last 10 consecutive years.
00:06In fact, data shows that every metro area lost population, which means we can't blame
00:11Chicago for everything on this list.
00:13While many people are flocking in droves to Tennessee, Florida, Texas, and even Idaho,
00:19nobody is moving to Illinois.
00:20People used to flock to cities like Chicago and Peoria for job opportunities.
00:25But the promise of jobs and big city amenities aren't enough to trump the cost of living,
00:30high crime, and homeless populations.
00:33Rural parts of Illinois don't offer a whole lot more.
00:36They have fewer jobs and just as high a tax burden and cost of living.
00:40This video will look at some shocking reasons why people won't move to Illinois.
00:45And although we could make this entire list about Chicago, we'll look at the state as
00:49a whole.
00:50Number 10 is infrastructure issues.
00:52Aging infrastructure and inadequate public transportation in some regions can deter
00:57people from moving to Illinois.
00:59From aviation to transit, Illinois' infrastructure report card ranges from a C-plus at its highest
01:05and a D-plus at its lowest.
01:07Let's start with aviation, which got the highest score.
01:10And that's scary considering only 61% of Illinois' runways and 58% of Illinois' primary taxiways
01:17are in good condition.
01:19Bridges get an abysmal C, and while a bridge didn't collapse at the scale as we saw in
01:23Maryland, 9% of all the state's bridges are inadequate.
01:27You might think it's great that 101 out of Illinois' 102 counties offer transit service.
01:33However, this comes in at an embarrassing D-plus.
01:36Unfortunately, the state's transit infrastructure endured many years of inadequate funding and
01:42mismanagement.
01:43It's estimated that $2 billion is needed to begin to get it up to standard.
01:49Number 9 is the education system.
01:51There are concerns about the quality and funding of the public education system in some areas,
01:56which can be a critical factor for families.
01:59Illinois is actually one of the more educated states and has many renowned colleges and
02:04universities.
02:05But when it comes to public schools, location matters.
02:08Most people who relocate to Illinois are likely going for job opportunities in the bigger
02:13cities.
02:14And this is where the public schools are less than desirable.
02:17Education is down, truancy is rampant, and students aren't reading or doing math on
02:22grade level.
02:23Number 8 is the weather.
02:25This should be pretty obvious.
02:27Illinois experiences harsh winters with heavy snowfall and extremely cold temperatures,
02:32which might not be appealing to those who prefer milder climates.
02:35Average lows in winter can hover in the low teens, with the winter highs only tapping
02:40out in the 30s.
02:41While many kids are in school and look forward to the excitement of snow days, Illinois gets
02:46an average of 38 inches of snow a year.
02:49And since Illinoisans are so used to the snow, families moving there from down south will
02:54be shocked to know that Northerners know how to drive in the snow.
02:58Number 7 is that there are economic opportunities elsewhere.
03:01This isn't entirely Illinois' fault.
03:03It's just not able to compete with other states.
03:06While Illinois has strong economic sectors, other states offer more attractive job markets.
03:12Many big companies are leaving states like New York, California, and Illinois to more
03:16tax-friendly and business-friendly states.
03:19Many people are finding better job opportunities in Nashville, Tampa, and Austin, since those
03:24cities have a much lower cost of living, lower taxes, lower crime, nicer weather, and better
03:30housing costs.
03:31Number 6 is the homeless crisis.
03:34The homeless crisis in Illinois is a complex issue influenced by a lack of affordable housing,
03:39mental health struggles, and political factors.
03:42According to annually collected homeless data, more than 10,000 people experience homelessness
03:47on any given day across Illinois, and nearly 30,000 people are estimated to touch homeless
03:53services over the course of a year.
03:55One of the primary drivers of homelessness in Illinois is the lack of affordable housing.
04:00Many residents struggle to find housing within their financial means due to rising rents
04:04and stagnant wages.
04:06Another cause is addiction and mental illness.
04:09A significant number of homeless individuals struggle with mental health issues and substance
04:14abuse disorders.
04:15The lack of accessible and affordable mental health care exacerbates the situation.
04:20Additionally, politics have also led to the increase.
04:23While many may appreciate the compassion that states like Illinois show towards the unhoused
04:28population, the extensive services draw more people, which for families wanting to relocate
04:33can be a turnoff.
04:35Number five goes hand in hand with number six, and that's the migrant crisis.
04:39This definitely affects bigger cities like Chicago more than the state as a whole, but
04:43sometimes the reputation of Chicago gives a bad name to Illinois.
04:48Chicago is a sanctuary city, meaning that they have a welcoming city ordinance and won't
04:52work with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
04:55This means that city officials and police do not ask about a person's immigration status,
05:00and they do not detain individuals solely based on their immigration status or hold
05:05them for ice without a judicial warrant.
05:07All of this to be said, border states that have been shouldering the migrant burden for
05:11decades have finally decided to let cities like Chicago put their money where their mouth
05:16is.
05:17Thousands of migrants have been making their way to Illinois, which is stretching city
05:20resources and thus the tax burden of its residents.
05:24Number four is the fiscal problems.
05:27The state has long been plagued by financial issues, including budget deficits and a massive
05:31pension liability.
05:33Illinois ended the 2023 fiscal year with an estimated $429 billion in pension liabilities,
05:40but only $218 billion worth of assets, leaving the state with $211 billion in unfunded state
05:47and local pension liabilities.
05:49This is not a good outlook for people hoping to build a life and a future in the state.
05:54In fact, Illinois public pensions are the worst funded in the US, and as if teachers
05:59don't already have it bad financially.
06:01Their pensions are some of the worst in the nation.
06:04This fiscal instability can create uncertainty and concern about future tax increases and
06:10potential cuts to public services.
06:12Speaking of taxes, that brings us to number three.
06:15Illinois has some of the highest taxes in the United States, including high property
06:19taxes and state income tax.
06:22This financial burden can be a significant deterrent for both individuals and businesses
06:27considering relocation to the state.
06:30Illinois has some of the highest property taxes in the nation.
06:33Homeowners in the state pay a substantial portion of their property value in taxes each
06:37year.
06:38In terms of sales tax, Illinois has a base sales tax rate of 6.25%, but local governments
06:44can add their own sales taxes on top of this.
06:47In some areas, the combined sales tax rate can exceed 10%.
06:52Illinois has some of the highest gas taxes as well, which directly affects the consumer.
06:57Illinois tax burden is often compared unfavorably with neighboring states, prompting some residents
07:02and businesses to relocate to states with lower taxes.
07:06Of course, this isn't a selling point for people looking to move.
07:09Number two is the political climate, and we aren't just talking about it being too liberal
07:14or conservative.
07:15The local political environment in Illinois is a huge turnoff for many people.
07:20The state has a history of political corruption and scandal, which can erode trust in government
07:25and create a negative perception.
07:27Political corruption in Illinois is a deep-seated issue with a long history, exemplified by
07:32numerous high-profile cases involving governors, judges, and other officials.
07:37In fact, the state is ranked as the second-most corrupt state in the country, with Chicago
07:42being the most corrupt city in the country.
07:45In 2022, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, the nation's longest-serving House
07:50Speaker, was indicted on 22 counts, including federal racketeering and bribery charges.
07:56After serving as the mayor of Riverdale, Illinois, for the last 10 years, Lawrence Jackson was
08:01indicted in November on federal perjury and obstruction of justice charges.
08:06And number one is for sure the crime rate.
08:09Particularly in cities like Chicago, and yes, we are calling out Chicago here, high crime
08:14rates can be a significant concern.
08:16Although crime is often concentrated in specific areas, the perception of safety can affect
08:21the decision to move to the state.
08:23The state as a whole has a crime rate slightly lower than the national average, but many
08:27of its towns and cities have crime rates that are astronomically high.
08:32Chicago has a violent crime rate and property crime rate well above the national average,
08:37as does Peoria, whose violent crime rate is three times the national average.
08:42Other cities and towns with higher-than-average crime rates are Granite City, Rockford, Joliet,
08:47Decatur, and even the state capital of Springfield.