(The Center Square) – Lawmakers from rural and urban Illinois separately discussed ways of evening out the power dynamic in the state Legislature.
Illinois is the sixth largest state in the nation, with the third largest city in Chicago. Some Republicans at the statehouse have long criticized policies passed by the Democratic majority.
State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, previously suggested splitting the state into two parts, separating the Chicago area from the rest of the state.
“There are different needs, there are different interests, different cultures, different economy,” Halbrook said in 2021, “A one-size-fits-all and a top-down approach does not work.”
Halbrook has yet to propose any measure for this General Assembly but says a split would even out the power divide that has been in the favor of more populated areas of the state.
“This is what I have said for over four years is when you have these large population centers that we have in these states, they control the rest of them,” Halbrook told The Center Square. “How we manage and deal with that is the question on the table, in my mind.”
The Illinois House currently has a Democratic supermajority with 78 Democrats to 40 Republicans, and the Illinois Senate shows a similar divide with 40 Democrats to 19 Republicans.
The United States Congress operates by electing 435 representatives by population and 100 senators, two from each individual state regardless of population. Halbrook said Illinois could look to implement something similar to help get rural communities representation he says they need.
“Does it call for new states to be created in all these other states where they have large population centers, or the other solution is to go back and continue to elect state reps by population but elect state senators by counties,” Halbrook said. “That changes everything. We need a literal federal system in each of these states. That changes the game.”
State Rep. LaShawn Ford, D-Chicago, told The Center Square there are repercussions from splitting the state.
“I think that a representative should do everything that they can do what’s in the best interest of their district, but when you’re talking about separating their part of the state from another part, there are really consequences to those cities that want to divide themselves from the rest of the state,” Ford said. “When you compare the revenue that’s generated from the hotels and the restaurants and the property taxes from the north, the rural parts of Illinois should be happy to be a part of a state that is so diverse.”
Halbrook said that’s an arrogant position.
“They trample on our rights and force their insane ideology on the rest of the state and act as though we should be grateful just because there are a lot of people in Chicago paying taxes,” Halbrook said. “Mankind has survived thousands and thousands of years before the state of Illinois ever started collecting tax revenue from anyone. Not one human being has ever survived without agriculture. Rural residents need woke Chicago politicians like a fish needs a bicycle.”
Lawmakers continue the spring session through May 19th.
