Illinois surpasses Michigan in food stamp usage

Abandoned Detroit home

My friends at the Illinois Policy Institute announced some startling news yesterday. Illinois now has a higher percentage of food stamp usage than any Midwestern state--it just passed up Michigan. In the Prairie State 15.9 percent of residents collect food stamps--which is one-tenth of one percent more than the long-time lagging Great Lakes State. Last fall Michigan overtook Illinois in total factory jobs.