The cost of corruption, however, is much higher than that.
John Mikesell, from Indiana University and Cheol Liu, from the City University of Hong Kong, determined that that 10 most corrupt U.S. States – which includes Illinois – would have spent 5.2 percent less between 1997 and 2008 if they had only an average amount of corruption.
The analysis also found that the most corrupt states spend less on elementary, high school and college eduction, health care and hospitals than their less corrupt counterparts. Read the Herald-Review opinion piece in its entirety.