Quincy Reporter

For Quincy activist Mecki Kosin, it’s little wonder why Illinois is losing its appeal with many residents.

“It’s because we have a tyrant in control here, and he’s steadily killing our small businesses, driving people into bankruptcy and out of the state,” Kosin told the Quincy Reporter. “There’s no question Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Mike Madigan are too blame for the outmigration, and as long as Pritzker is in power, we’ll only see more of the same thing.”

As it is, Illinois is one of the leading states with residents fleeing at the swiftest pace, based on a recent report. Annual studies from two of the largest moving companies in the country find the state lands as one of the top three places in the country for outbound moves for the ninth straight year.

With taxes and job-related reasons ranking among the most significant factors many are moving out, researchers concluded the state is experiencing its largest levels of outmigration in 2020 since World War II.

Kosin said there can’t be any shortcuts when it comes time for the rebuild.

“We need to start from scratch because we’re so far down the rabbit hole you can’t reverse it,” she said. “There’s so much damage, [and] there’s no place else to start. We need to get a good bunch of representatives who understand and stand for putting the good of the people ahead of everything else.”

Kosin said she’s hoping that residents come to realize they have influence.

“We just need to get angry and tired enough to want to make a difference,” she said. We have to take a stand. I think a good way to start is by pulling all the small businesses owners of this state together and saying enough as we fight to put this state back on track.”