11/4/20, “Counties in Illinois approve nonbinding resolution to create new state," TheCenterSquare.com, Greg Bishop
“Several counties in Illinois on Tuesday passed nonbinding resolutions by wide margins to create a new state, separate from Chicago and Cook County.
Questions posed to voters in various counties asked if they should join with others outside of Cook County to create a new state.
In Clay County, nearly 80 percent of voters approved the question. Nearly 73 percent of Shelby County voters approved, while 63 percent of Christian County voters did so and in Crawford County, nearly 76 percent of the voters said yes.
A group tracking the movement, called Red State Secession, counted 24 counties that approved it, with most votes being between 70 percent to 80 percent in favor.
Last month, the chairman of New Illinois, a nonprofit group organizing the efforts, said it’s about constitutional rights to representation.
“The guarantees clause of the U.S. Constitution, it guarantees us a republican form of government,” Merritt said. “What’s that? That’s where we have a voice, where we’re represented, but unfortunately our state government is very Chicago focused. Laws get passed, policies get put in place that may be in the best interest of a large urban area but they’re not in the best interest of a rural state like Illinois.”
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said downstate Illinois needs Chicago.
“I think the benefits of Chicago outweighs the negatives of the entire state,” Ford said.
Others who want to split from Chicago to create a new state have said Chicago’s crime is a problem.
“The people in downstate Illinois, in rural parts of Illinois, believe it or not as I’ve said, they benefit from the crime that happens in Chicago because they have the prisons that they’re able to have jobs and an economy based on the crime that’s happening in Chicago,” Ford said.
Among the steps needed to create a new state from within an existing state is the approval of the state legislature and then approval from the U.S. Congress.”
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Additional source: “Ford said…,“If they’re going to be a different state then that means prisons in those areas must be relocated out of that area,” Ford said. “There go those jobs for them. There goes their economy.””
10/13/20, “‘New Illinois’ group prepares to declare independence from Illinois on Saturday,” TheCenterSquare.com, Greg Bishop
“A group preparing to declare its independence from Illinois said residents are growing frustrated because they feel they aren’t being properly represented at the Illinois statehouse.
G.H. Merritt is the chairman of New Illinois, a nonprofit and nonpartisan group that plans to declare independence from Illinois from the Hancock County court steps this Saturday.
“We have a lot of support from the red side, you know the libertarians and the Republicans, but I really believe that’s mostly because those are the people that live in the area that doesn’t have a voice,” Merritt said.
After Saturday’s declaration, the group will lobby state lawmakers to get on board, she said.
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, said he’s open to having a conversation with members of the group.
“I think with a county and a community down there trying to declare independence is just their right to do it but I think that’s what you call cutting your nose off to spite your face,” Ford said….
Ford said those pushing for such independence should think further about the consequences.
“If they’re going to be a different state then that means prisons in those areas must be relocated out of that area,” Ford said. “There go those jobs for them. There goes their economy.”…
New Illinois has 20 counties that have ratified resolutions supporting the effort. The goal is to get all counties except Cook on board. And it’s not just southern Illinoisans who are frustrated.
Merritt said the rest of the state is being controlled by Chicago politics, and not being represented….
“Up in Lake County, people are exiting the state, people are complaining about the state, people are supporting our movement, and it’s not because anybody’s all worked up about all of their money going to Alexander County, it’s because of the corruption, it’s because of the taxes.”
Illinois has a long history of corruption, with recent examples of bribery charges against lawmakers and federal investigations into more. The state is also consistently listed as the highest tax state with the largest unfunded long-term debt and worst credit rating….
Among the steps needed to create a new state from within an existing state is the approval of the legislature and then approval from the U.S. Congress.”
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