Willie Wilson: Who Is To Blame In Illinois For The State’s Shortcomings?

Illinois is a state with many self-inflicted wounds. If we continue to elect the same people over and over and expect a different result, we are fooling ourselves. 

Who is accountable for the problems in our state, and why haven’t they been fixed? Politicians have been voting themselves pay raises while problems continue to fester. Where are the civil rights organizations, faith leaders and media shining a light on the failure of elected leaders to fix basic problems? 

The Democrats control all levers of government in Illinois. We have been grappling with some of the same problems for decades with no real solutions. The problems are magnified when citizens start leaving.

The state of Illinois continues to lose population and businesses. Residents are fleeing to Indiana, Florida and Texas. Illinois had a net loss of 82,900 people in 2024, Census Bureau estimates show. Are other states’ political leaders smarter than ours? A consistent loss of population leads to a smaller tax base that must support fixed and long-term costs such as pensions and debt. Illinois has the nation’s worst-funded public pension system.

Fewer residents mean less income and sales tax revenue to fund roads, schools, transit and other public programs. Who is to blame for Illinois repeatedly losing population? Does accountability lie with Gov. JB Pritzker, Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for policies that drive businesses and people out of Illinois?

Every student regardless of race or ZIP code deserves access to a quality education. Illinois allows students to graduate who have not mastered the basics of reading, writing or math. In 2025, Black students in third through eighth grade had proficiency levels 21 to 23 percentage points below the statewide average, according to the Illinois Report Card. Also, 46% of Black students were chronically absent in 2025. This data is setting students up for the education pipeline to prison.

Yet, Welch, Pritzker and state legislators in 2023 allowed a successful tool to help low-income students close the achievement gap, the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program, to expire. The program was opposed by the Chicago Teachers Union. Coincidentally, since 2010, the CTU has made more than $1.3 million in campaign donations to state lawmakers.

Who is to blame for our children being behind in reading, math and science? And now, the CTU is opposing the federal tax scholarship program that could add funding to Illinois schools. The money could be used for tutoring students. Does the CTU really care about children or is it more interested in maintaining its monopoly over public education?

Our leaders should be reminded that education is connected to employment, jobs and stability of communities. The failure of students to get an effective education or acquire a skilled trade can lead to negative consequences such as incarceration and a lack of productivity. 

Illinois school districts are primarily funded by local property taxes. In 2017, the Illinois General Assembly passed the evidence-based funding formula, or EBF, which was designed to direct more state money to the most underfunded, property-poor districts. However, EBF remains significantly underfunded. It could take decades to fully fund.

Per the Illinois Constitution, the state has the primary responsibility for financing public education. The legislature must undertake significant reforms to ensure an equitable system.

State pension contributions for teachers are a large part of educational spending, but these costs have increased due to generous retirement rules granted by lawmakers over the years. Pension costs and a significant increase in administrators have created a perfect storm. Why does Illinois have over 800 school districts, many of which are small?

Illinois has a regressive system of taxation that causes Black and brown residents to lose their homes. The spikes in taxes in the latest round of property tax bills hit three predominately Black communities in Cook County the hardest — Lawndale, Garfield Park and Englewood. Who is to blame for this unfair system? Why allow this system to continue? How many seniors must lose their homes to the property tax sale before the legislature acts?

Illinois hasn’t enacted legislation to prevent “home equity theft” in property tax foreclosure cases. A 2025 investigation found that from 2019 to 2025, over 1,000 homes were taken in Cook County, with most cases occurring in the Black community, involving tax debts of less than $1,600. Who can voters hold accountable? 

The following are suggestions to fix Illinois:

• Pritzker and elected leaders should pass policies that make Illinois a desirable place to live and raise a family. 
• Illinois legislative leaders should allow for school choice. 
• Elected leaders should prioritize trade programs in high unemployment areas. 
• Pritzker should opt in to the federal tax scholarship program. 
• Welch and Harmon should consolidate school districts, administrators and township government. 

If we do not hold lawmakers accountable, our state could end up not being able to pay its bills or its employees. Who will fix the structural problems that are draining taxpayers’ wallets and morale? Let’s hold elected leaders accountable. Let there be no more excuses. 

I write this commentary to make those comfortable with the status quo uncomfortable. 

Willie Wilson is a business owner, philanthropist and former mayoral candidate.

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