HRC Blog

Marriage Equality Means Big Money for Illinois Economy

March 7, 2013 by Maureen McCarty, Online Content and Marketing Manager

If Illinois passes marriage equality legislation, it could mean not only big money for the state, but also an increase in jobs, according to a Williams Institute study.

The study shows that extending marriage to loving, committed same-sex couples would generate up to $103 million in spending to the local economy and an additional 281 jobs generated by the wedding industry.

Further, the total state and local tax revenue would rise by $8.5 million, including an estimated $1 to $2 million in local sales taxes.

The study follows trends from the ten other states, plus that District of Columbia, with marriage equality on the book. Williams Institute approximates that of the 23,049 same-sex couples living in Illinois, 50 percent would choose to marry in the first three years following legislation passing, 64 percent of which would marriage in the first year.

HRC is hard at work in Illinois as a proud member of the Illinois Unites for Marriage campaign, which includes Equality Illinois, Freedom to Marry, ACLU and Lambda Legal.

The campaign to make Illinois the tenth state to assure marriage equality is gaining steam. To get involved, contact [email protected].