At the state-level, Illinois has the fewest government employees per 1000 citizens. Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-ap-data-states-shed-thousan

At the state-level, Illinois has the fewest government employees per 1000 citizens. Source: http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-ap-data-states-shed-thousands-of-public-employees-2011dec18-story.html http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-ap-data-states-shed... Our medicaid costs are below the national average. Per-capita education costs are also some of the lowest (at the state level - IL depends heavily on local property taxes) Our Republican governor has been unable to cut any state-level waste for that very reason: The entire state government is already runs lean. We're in a budget mess because of pension obligations, not because we're a bunch of hippie spendthrifts.