It might seem odd, in the midst of the deep freeze and the snowstorms that have gripped the Midwest and the Northeast, but New Jersey and Illinois also charge their residents the highest and second-highest property taxes in the nation, respectively, according to a new Urban Institute report. Not coincidentally, according to Chicago magazine, New Jersey and Illinois hold the top two spots in number of people moving out of state.
Illinois is moving to outpace New Jersey over the next several years. But New Jersey’s persistently high taxes could pose a problem for Gov. Chris Christie as he prepares (evidently) to mount a nationwide campaign for the presidency in 2016. His state’s economy has barely improved since he took office in 2010, and while he has done some work to spending and pension costs, the fact that New Jersey still loses to Illinois on taxes is a bad sign.