Providing even more evidence that big government hurts minorities the most, a new study has revealed that the liberal state of Illinois has the highest black unemployment in the nation while the State of Texas has the lowest.
According a study by the Illinois Policy Institute, the root of the problem is the Land of Lincoln’s high taxation and overregulation.
“Illinois’ political leadership has ignored opportunities to encourage economic growth while enacting taxes and regulations that have stunted job creation,” writes Michael Lucci, Vice President of Policy for the organization. “These anti-job policy decisions have helped create a situation where Illinois’ most economically vulnerable residents are the least well-off of any state”
The numbers are staggering. Over the last two years the black unemployment rate in Illinois has increased to a jaw-dropping 15 percent.
This contrasts with the State of Texas, where the state’s black unemployment rate has fallen over the same time period even in the face of an economic slowdown caused by the falling price of oil.
Illinois’ black unemployment rate is now more than double that of Texas.
But Texans shouldn’t rest on their laurels, major barriers to economic growth such as astronomical property taxes, the onerous franchise tax, and many burdensome regulations still exist in the Lone Star State.
Reducing or removing them would increase opportunities for all Texans.
