Macon Reporter

Decatur has undoubtedly felt the state's decline in population as the central Illinois city had one of the fastest dwindling populations in the state, with a 4.5 percent drop in citizens just a few years ago. 

In a recent Forgotten Illinois series, which includes documentaries on various Illinois towns and cities where residents believe they have been ignored by politicians and the media, writer Joe Kaiser with the Illinois Policy Institute highlights the people and businesses in this agricultural and manufacturing city.

"One of the bigger cities in central Illinois, not only does Decatur still have a few large manufacturers left in the city, but maybe more apparent, the city’s blue-collar identity resonates with its longtime residents," Kaiser wrote in his piece.

Kaiser describes Decatur as having a reputation of being a "manufacturing powerhouse through the 20th century." He points out, however, that Decatur began to see a stop to its growth around 1990 as the state lost manufacturing jobs. 

"Once growing, the city is now shrinking," Kaiser said in his article. "Once thriving, there is now fear of crashing."

Kaiser highlights many of the city's historical highlights such as in 1920 when Decatur was one of 14 cities to have a team in the American Professional Football Association, which is now the NFL. It's former team is now known as the Chicago Bears. 

Kaiser spoke with several of Decatur's residents and business owners including John Phillips Jr., who now owns what was the city's first service station, built in 1915.

"There's been a steady population decline, as people leave not just Illinois but specifically leave Decatur," Phillips said in the article. 

Phillips, along with other local business owners, such as David Jordan who owns The Wagon Restaurant, told Kaiser the city's taxes, including its 2 percent food and beverage tax, are what is hurting their businesses.

"Like with any tax, who gets stuck with it but the consumer," Jordan said in the article. "It's hurt sales because people just can't afford the increases."

Kaiser said residents and business owners are also dealing with increased property taxes, which will only keep getting higher as the city loses residents and tax revenue. 

"The numerous tax hikes have been Decatur’s way of trying to compensate for a declining population, and therefore declining revenue," Kaiser wrote. "In December 2017, the Decatur City Council passed a budget more than $3 million out of balance."

Kaiser also interviewed Corey Walker, whose grandfather started Wagner Castings in 1917 and produced parts for automakers and suppliers. Wagner, along with businesses such as Firestone, has now shut down. 

“I just want to be able to leave Decatur better than my grandfather left it for my father, and my father left it for me, and just Decatur being a better Decatur for my four boys,” Walker, who worked in his family's plant and eventually took over the business before it closed its doors, said in the article.

Those residents who Kaiser interviewed say they still have hope for the city of 75,000 despite the state's bleak outlook. 

"From January 1990 to January 2017, also, Decatur lost 2,000 jobs on net," Kaiser wrote. "The people still in Decatur are well aware of all of this. And while the State of Illinois continues on a downward path and city officials continue to squeeze every last dollar they can out of city taxpayers, residents are left thinking about what can be different," he said.