Illinois is lagging behind in job creation, according to a new study from the Illinois Policy Institute (IPI). According to IPI, an independent research organization, the state ranks last among the 12 Midwestern states in job creation. The study also revealed that the number of households in Illinois receiving food stamps reached a record high last year at 1,073,279.
Citing figures from the Illinois Department of Human Services, IPI reported “The total number of Illinoisans on food stamps jumped by 37,500 in December.” The report stated that in 2014, “An additional 60,000 Illinoisans were added to the food-stamp rolls against a mere 27,600 new jobs created in the state.”