Seven more counties consider separation, creating new state

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square0 – Voters in seven Illinois counties have a chance to join 33 others that approved referendums to consider forming a new state apart from Cook County.

Measures will be on the ballot this November in Coles, Gallatin, Hamilton, Henderson, Macoupin, Monroe and Saline counties.

State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said citizens are frustrated with what’s happening in Springfield.

“They don’t see that anything’s going to change for the positive, and when I speak about that, you know, it’s the SAFE-T Act, it’s the Protect Illinois Communities Act, the other social issues,” Halbrook told The Center Square.

Halbrook said Gov. J.B. Pritzker has added over 60 new taxes in eight years.

“Billions of dollars have been transferred from citizens, from businesses into state budgets or into the state treasury,” Halbrook said.

Halbrook proposed a resolution that goes farther than the ballot measures and urges Congress to declare 101 of Illinois’ 102 counties the 51st state in the U.S.

The Indiana legislature has advanced bills to consider bringing Illinois counties into the Hoosier state. Last year, an Iowa state lawmaker proposed a bill to bring several western Illinois counties into the Hawkeye state.

Voters in several eastern Oregon counties have approved ballot measures in recent years that favor a merger into Idaho, but statewide proposals to change state lines failed to advance.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has referred to the prospect of Illinois counties leaving as a stunt.

Halbrook said separating from Cook County would be an uphill battle, because Democrats in the super majority will not let his resolution move forward.

“We need to have a conversation at a minimum. I think that’s what’s important. Why do people want to do this? Why do they not want to stay here in the state of Illinois? What we’re seeing this spring and summer in real time, even the Chicago Bears are discussing moving to a neighboring state of Indiana. Why is that happening?” Halbrook said.

When asked about trying to effect change in Cook County instead of pushing for separation from Illinois, Halbrook said the dynamic would change if legislation changes.

“But that’s not the priority of the super majority. We’re seeing their priorities, which lead to these higher costs, these many other things that we’ve discussed here,” Halbrook said.

Kevin Bessler, J.D. Davidson and Sean Reed contributed to this story