Approximately 1.9 million Illinoisans – or about 15 percent of the state’s population – were on food stamp rolls in January 2017, according to a Prairie State Wire analysis of 66 Illinois welfare offices.

Municipalities in Hamilton, Macon and Lake counties top the list in Illinois with the lowest spending per capita in 2017, Illinois State Comptroller financial reports show.

Municipalities in St. Clair, Henderson and Whiteside counties top the list in Illinois with the highest spending per capita in 2017, Illinois State Comptroller financial reports show.

Welfare offices in Princeton and Ottawa saw food stamp costs drop by an average of 1.77 percent from January 2015 to January 2017, according to an Illinois Valley Times analysis of 66 Illinois welfare offices.

Government pension funds in Coal City, Minooka and Morris depended least on taxpayer contributions to make ends meet in 2016, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Government pension funds in Morris, Minooka and Coal City depended most on taxpayer contributions to make ends meet in 2016, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Welfare offices in Quincy, Blue Island and Calumet Park saw food stamp costs drop the most from January 2015 to January 2017, according to a Prairie State Wire analysis of 66 Illinois welfare offices.

A government pension fund in Coal City depended least on taxpayer contributions to make ends meet in 2016, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Government pension funds in Joliet and Aurora depended most on taxpayer contributions to make ends meet in 2016, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

The number of people receiving food stamps in two Illinois Valley locations rose by 1.1 percent as President Trump entered office, according to an Illinois Valley Times analysis of federal data.

Coal City, Minooka and Morris have government pension funds with the highest funding levels in Grundy County, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

The number of food stamp recipients fell over two years at 54 of 66 Illinois welfare offices analyzed by Prairie State Wire.

The number of food stamp recipients fell over two years at 54 of 66 Illinois welfare offices analyzed by Prairie State Wire.

Coal City has a government pension fund that has one of the lowest funding levels in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

Coal City and Minooka have government pension funds with the highest funding levels in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

It’s no secret that 2017 has been a rough year for Illinois taxpayers, and Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) says reform will be necessary to ease the burden placed on taxpayers.

Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) criticized the recent partisan vote in the Illinois Senate to advance a budget that would increase revenue through higher taxes without the spending reform measures that Republicans have been demanding.