Illinois ranks in lower half in new ‘Safest States’ poll

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. Chris Miller views the state’s bottom-feeder ranking in a new Safest States in America survey as indisputable evidence of how the state has become its own worst enemy.

Illinois nets a 50.01 total score to place 36th overall in the WalletHub survey of all 50 states. Researchers dissected 52 key indicators across five categories as part of an analysis where Illinois finished 36th in emergency preparedness, 31st in personal and residential safety, 24th in workplace safety and 19th in road safety rank.

As sobering as he said all the new data hits, Miller, R-Oakland, added none of it should come as a surprise to residents.

“We had close to 600 homicides last year and that doesn’t strike me as making anybody feel very safe,” he told The Center Square. “We’re known kind of not only as the murder capital of the U.S., but also the corruption capital. When I think about safety and security, I don’t think about the state of Illinois. The business climate is one of the most hostile climates that exists. Everyday people and businesses are shutting down.”

Through all the persistent struggle, Miller pointed out one thing has remained consistent.

“I think that you trace all this stuff to bad public policy, and the Democrats have a supermajority,” he said. “They have 78 legislators in the House and the vast majority of them live in Cook and the collar counties. There’s a reason why we have nicknamed the state capital the ‘bad idea factory.’ The business climate is one of the most hostile climates that exists.”

Miller has long traced many of the state’s problems directly back to Chicago. Back in 2019, he signed a letter along with several other GOP lawmakers calling for the state to separate from the city in hopes of fighting corruption.