Sangamon Sun

State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) was one of several Republican lawmakers to comment on the staggering drop in Illinois population that revoked one of the state's U.S. Congress seats and has many debating why Illinoisans are departing from their home states by the tens of thousands each year. 

Butler noted that Illinois had lost five congressional seats since 1991 when he first started working on Capitol Hill. 

"Not only is that a great blemish on the prestige of our State of Illinois, it really comes home to roost when it comes to our power in Washington D.C.," Butler said at the April 26 news conference. "The fact that we've actually declined in population is stunning."

Illinois was bested in population loss only by West Virginia. Legislators are alarmed that Illinois is the only Midwestern state to record a population drop. Many GOP lawmakers are pointing at a long history of what they believe is bad policy and high taxes that leave Illinoisans looking for a better, easier way of life. 

"Illinois has a strong history of tremendous influence on Capitol Hill," Butler said. "But we see that continue to wane because of the policies that emanate out of Springfield."

All in all, with the decades of failed policies and tax spikes, Butler said it's no surprise that other states in the Midwest are appealing to Illinoisans. 

"This is a really sad day in Illinois history when we see that our population has declined so much that we continue to lose seats and our presence on Capitol Hill," Butler said. 

Democrats will use the same data that condemned one of the state's congressional seats to redraw the state Senate and House district maps, a task that has many Republicans concerned that Illinois' longstanding reputation for gerrymandering will continue. 

"We have heard time and time again at the hearings that we've had that people are sick fo that process," Butler said, noting that people want redistricting that is "fair, open and transparent."

The deadline for the maps is June 30. J.B. Pritzker pledged during his campaign for governor that he would veto any map presented by politicians but has since changed his tune to state that he trusts the Democratic majority to be fair in the process. 

"Draw maps that aren't gerrymandered," Butler said. "All you have to do is look at the current maps in Illinois previous maps in Illinois and know that gerrymandering is a fine art in the state that leads to maximum political advantage."