* Gallup…

One in four Illinois residents are confident in their state government, the lowest among the 50 states by a significant margin. Rhode Island (33%) and Connecticut (39%) join Illinois as states with less than 40% government confidence. North Dakota residents are the most trusting; 81% say they are confident in their state government.

One in four? Who are these one in four? I’d like to meet just one of them. Seriously. I’d love to talk to a single person who is confident in Illinois’ state government.

Fake poll! /s

* More…

There is a strong positive relationship between residents’ ratings of their state’s economy and their confidence in state government. In addition to Illinois, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey and Kansas all rank among the states in which residents are the least positive about their state’s economy. North Dakota, Utah, Minnesota and Nebraska are four states in which residents rate their state’s economy positively and express high confidence in their state government.

* From that other survey…

Illinois and Rhode Island tie for the lowest rating of current state economic conditions, at -15. Illinois residents are most negative about the direction of their state’s economy, with Connecticut and West Virginia close behind.

* Hat tip to the Illinois Policy Institute’s news service, by the way…

Almost 75 percent of people who live in Illinois say they have zero confidence in state government, according to a new poll.

Gallup asked 500 Illinoisans if they have confidence in their state’s “government in general.” An overwhelming 74 percent said no.

State Rep Tom Bennett says the only people who may be surprised by that are lawmakers in Springfield who want to keep trudging down the same road.

“We’re spending millions of dollars more than we bring in every day. It’s almost like it’s not real in some ways,” Bennett said of the lack of awareness at the Illinois Capitol. “It’s going to come to a head one day.”