(The Center Square) – Conflicting population estimates for Illinois continue to spur debate about whether the state is growing or shrinking as has been estimated for years.
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Gov. J.B. Pritzker sent President Joe Biden a letter requesting the federal government send Illinois more federal tax money. He said a recent Census survey shows the agency undercounted Illinois by nearly 2%.
Democratic members of Illinois’ congressional delegation followed up with a letter to the Census urging the bureau to update the population for funding decisions.
“We are writing in regard to the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey (PES), which found that Illinois likely was undercounted at a rate of 1.97% in the 2020 Decennial Census,” the Democrats said. “With this knowledge comes the striking fact that Illinois did not lose residents, but rather, the State’s population is now at its largest in history with about 13 million residents. We are concerned about how this undercount may affect the people of Illinois.”
But, a new U.S. Census report on cities shows when all local populations are combined, Illinois lost 104,000 people in the year up to July 1, 2021. That follows updated migration data from the IRS that show Illinois lost 101,000 people.
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, said a special Census could clear up any issues and get the proper formula for federal tax dollars to the state. But, he said the indication is the state continues to lose population and he blames Democratic policies.
“What we have are politicians in Springfield that are doing everything they can to tax the heck out of Illinoisans and not address gas prices and energy prices here in Springfield and in our state, and they’re forcing families to make budgetary decisions to move to lower cost of living,” Davis said. “We need to do better by electing better politicians. We need to do better by getting J.B. Pritzker and the Democrats out of power here in Springfield.”
Davis faces a Republican primary from U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, R-Compton, for Illinois’ new 15th Congressional District after the state lost a seat in congress because of the state’s continued population decline.
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