*** UPDATED x1 *** Bean counters
Thursday, Oct 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune has a story today about a legislative battle that has been going on for months: The Rauner administration’s emergency rules that shut down most new access to the state’s childcare program as well as home care programs for the elderly and disabled.
We’ve talked about this topic numerous times, but here’s the GOP response as printed by the Trib…
“This may be shocking to the system and the protocol and the feel and jibe of what has been, I get that, but we are truly in new circumstances, these are unventured territories,” said Rep. Ron Sandack of Downers Grove, Republican co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, the panel that’s responsible for overseeing the minutiae of putting a law in place.
“There is only so much that the administration can control, and the few things they can are really difficult topics, it’s not fun,” he added. […]
“With no budget in place and the majority party refusing to pass a single reform to grow our economy, the state of Illinois is most certainly in a state of fiscal emergency,” Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said. “Illinois is facing a $4 billion deficit, and the administration is trying to responsibly manage the state’s finances amid statutorily required payments and various court orders and consent decrees.” […]
“We are on autopilot,” Sandack said. “For those who have made much to do about the rules process, I would ask have they been around for a budget impasse that’s lasted this long? The state has no appropriation authority and the ability to manage what amounts to pennies in the overall budget. If that’s not an emergency, I don’t know what would ever qualify.”
On a purely bean-counting basis, I get what they’re saying. But on a purely bean-counting basis, how do you then justify this?…
Gov. Bruce Rauner has offered packaged food giant ConAgra tax incentives to move its headquarters from Omaha to Chicago, according to a source familiar with the deal.
The revelation comes on the heels of news that ConAgra is negotiating to lease office space large enough to accommodate as many as 1,000 workers at River North’s Merchandise Mart. […]
(A) source familiar with the deal said Rauner met with ConAgra executives earlier this year and offered them Edge tax incentives to move to Illinois.
Though Rauner has since ordered a halt on such incentives until the state’s budget impasse is resolved, the commitment to ConAgra was made before that and will be honored, the source said.
Without businesses and jobs, we don’t bring in tax money. I totally get that. I’m not opposed to this tax incentive.
I’m just saying that when you’re cutting off grandma and grandbaby it might not be such a great time to be handing out bigtime tax breaks to Chef Boyardee.
*** UPDATE *** An interesting press release…
State Representative Grant Wehrli today called on the Rauner administration to work with the Naperville community and the Naperville Development Partnership to replace hundreds of local jobs that will be lost when food giant ConAgra relocates the Naperville jobs to Chicago. Representative Wehrli (R-Naperville) said the Naperville-to-Chicago move is part of a larger agreement that will provide ConAgra EDGE tax incentives for relocating their corporate headquarters to Chicago from Naperville and Omaha, Nebraska.
“These incentives are used to mask the poor business climate in Illinois. Without reforming things like workers compensation and unemployment insurance, we are left in the position of having to buy jobs with these unsustainable incentives,” Rep. Wehrli said.
“We all want to bring new jobs here from other states; but when the deal, brokered with tax incentives, costs an Illinois community 400 jobs, then it’s a hollow victory. Governor Rauner needs to work equally hard to ‘back fill’ those jobs leaving Naperville. The governor’s office cannot just create a hole and walk away,” said Rep. Wehrli.
ConAgra’s Naperville headquarters provides jobs for 400 employees. Its home to many of the company’s largest brands, including Hunts, Chef Boyardee, Peter Pan, and Hebrew National. Corporate leaders announced earlier this week that they are negotiating for office space in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart that will accommodate 700 employees including the relocation of employees from both Naperville and Omaha.
“Shifting hundreds of jobs from one community to another creates winners and losers within our own state. I know the Governor worked hard to bring these jobs to Chicago. Now, he needs to work equally hard to help us bring jobs back to Naperville,” Rep. Wehrli concluded.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:33 am:
“There is only so much that the administration can control…”
In other words, the governor of Illinois is pitiful, clueless or both.
– MrJM
- cdog - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:36 am:
“and the majority party refusing to pass a single reform to grow our economy,”
ck,
Can you please give us examples where these kind of “reforms” have worked?
- Daniel Plainview - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:40 am:
- There is only so much that the administration can control -
“Specifically 47 Represenatives, and 19 Senators like my pathetic self.”
- Red Ranger - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:42 am:
The irony is so rich on both stories. Not to bring national politics into this place, but GOP screaming about Obama Executive Orders to get things done despite the GOP Congress, seems like the shoe is on the other foot here? Same thing with the Dems applauding Obama for doing what he’s doing.
And with respect to ConAgra, I thought IL was a terrible place to do business? Jobs leavin’, people fleein’ But they’re leaving that red-state paradise of Nebraska?
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:42 am:
I’m confused.
Not one reform that Rauner wants has passed, the EDGE program already in place, and ConAgra is still deciding to move to Illinois…
“Why?”
We have no budget here, taxes are “brutal, absolutely brutal, killin’ Illinois, just killin’ this state… ”
…
I’m just confused is all…
- slow down - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:42 am:
No one should be surprised by this contrast. This is who Rauner is and always has been.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:43 am:
I think the general public is relatively ignorant of what Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda actually includes, specifically his anti-union demands.
If Illinois voters knew everything is being held up because of draconian anti-union measures, I believe the tide would turn against the Rauner camp pretty quickly.
- Tournaround Agenda - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:45 am:
Rauner’s true priorities, in case anyone wasn’t clear on them already.
- Frenchie Mendoza - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:49 am:
Did Rauner know he would be suspending Edge tax credits when he was offering them Edge tax credits?
- AC - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:50 am:
The Governor would be more credible if he came out and said that he was prioritizing tax incentives for corporations over the neediest people in the state. At least then he’d seem like a competent leader making choices I disagree with profoundly, rather than a governor who has no control over anything.
- Norseman - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:50 am:
To address the perception, Rauner’s people are working on a deal to give all the people cutoff from childcare one can of spaghetti a month.
- Former Hoosier - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:51 am:
CEO Connolly, who lives in a $3mil. home in Winnetka, was never going to move to Nebraska. His kids go to the top rated Winnetka Public Schools- they were never going to be educated in Nebraska! He needed this tax break from IL in order to soften the financial blow of moving the HQ here. Who better than his bud and fellow Winnetka resident, Bruce Rauner, to set up the deal Connolly needs. Now Connolly is just a short ride on the Metra away from his new office. Is this move better for ConAgra? I don’t know but, it sure suits Connolly’s personal needs. And, most importantly as Rich said, this deal is pretty hard to handle when the most vulnerable (and least powerful) of our residents are suffering due to a lack of funding for social service programs.
- illini - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:51 am:
Crony Capitalism - winners and losers. We all pay in one way or another.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:53 am:
When EDGE was suspended:
http://www.adpcomplianceinsights.com/budget-cuts-suspend-illinois-edge-tax-credit-program/
- My New Handle - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:55 am:
“…and the majority party refusing to pass a single reform to grow our economy…”
I thought the GA passed a property tax freeze, one if the “reforms” that rauner wanted, but it was vetoed.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:55 am:
===one can of spaghetti a month===
CORRECTION: One can of Beefaroni.
- train111 - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:56 am:
Bu–Bu–Bu–But Conagra is a “maker” and grandma and grandbsby are part of the 47% “takers”
Never mind that you could support most of the grandma’s and grandbaby’s in the state with the giveaway to Conagra.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:57 am:
From the Beefaroni website and Rauner’s favorite mantra-
“Lots of beef, no preservatives, totally delicious.”
- Nick Name - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:57 am:
“…and the majority party refusing to pass a single reform to grow our economy…”
How many bills did the Rauner administration get filed?
- chiatty - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 9:59 am:
If the general public starts to process this sort of governance, Rauner will be revealed for what he really is.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:00 am:
See, thats why you shouldnt have access to rauners schedule. If he had a notation: 10a, mtg w conagra bigshots. And it got out, it mighta screwed the deal. If you knew the date, you would know if the mtg preceeded the freeze. We got the deal, thats all that matters, and all you need to know.
Same w the genda, all that matters is getting it passed, regardless of the cost or damage, to people, politicians, or the state. My kids dont need MAP grants. My family doesnt need day care, home health care assistance, rehab, drivers’ licenses, subsidized health insurance, and certainly not a trip to a museum.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:00 am:
– budget impasse.–
Is there some disagreement on the budget? What are the budget issues that are in dispute? I was under the impression that the governor’s office refuses to talk about the budget until other issues are addressed.
– a single reform to grow our economy.–
Which ones are those? What are the growth projections based on a data-driven economic analysis? Can we see that analysis?
Or does it not exist, and it’s just all shallow talking points?
- Tournaround Agenda - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:01 am:
I’d love for a reporter to grill Rauner on the discrepancy at his next media briefing, instead of parroting the usual talking points.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:05 am:
No one should be surprised. This is what we wanted. Right?
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:05 am:
I’m also not opposed to this tax break, and to the principle of attracting businesses via financial incentives. It is context that matters to me. How can we, who often parade around our morality, slash help to the most vulerable and poorest while giving huge tax breaks out to large corporations?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:10 am:
“Thank goodness for Chef Boyardee.”
“Obviously delicious. Secretly Nutritious.”/s
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:11 am:
When will the press call out Rauner on 1) when will he submit his constitutionally required budget and 2) when will he present a ROI on his turn around agenda?
- AC - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:14 am:
Wordslinger, I agree that the impasse isn’t really about the budget, but what sort of shortened description would you use to describe the situation? Somehow, “impasse in which a governor holds the budget hostage by obfuscating his desire to bust unions behind a generic description of “turnaround agenda” while blaming Madigan for everything wrong in the world” just seems too wordy.
- ihpsdm - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:16 am:
Disgusting. 15 years ago, Illinois gave Boeing a lot of money to move their Headquarters from Seattle to Chicago. 15 years later, Boeing is still the #1 private employer in the state of Washington and there are nine other states that have more Boeing employees than Illinois.
This move benefits downtown Chicago without providing much of a benefit to the rest of the State of Illinois, much like the Boeing move.
- Secret Square - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:18 am:
“But they’re leaving that red-state paradise of Nebraska?”
According to this report, they are leaving one of the most fiscally stable states in the country (#4 overall and #1 in “long term solvency”) for the most fiscally UN-stable state (#50 and #49 in both categories):
http://mercatus.org/statefiscalrankings
This report was produced by a conservative/libertarian leaning think tank, but it does have quite a bit of useful information in it.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:21 am:
DCEO pulled off a major coup here. Con-agra is a great fit for Illinois. Contrary to popular belief Illinois in a lot of sectors is doing quite well. Not to minimize the achievement for DCEO but Con-agra was a low hanging fruit. This is going to bring a lot of good paying jobs. Let’s cheer the victory and get back to saving our social safety net and cultural heritage.
- Plutocrat03 - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:22 am:
I am not a fan of corporate tax breaks for the specific reason that it gives the appearance of favoritism. Furthermore these targeted benefits snub the existing taxpayers by allowing new competition to operate with a state supported benefit.
Winners and losers should not be chosen by the government.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:25 am:
To the Update,
Rep. Wehrli,
Is this you Term Limiting… yourself?
I woulda waited until December. I mean, there’s no upside for you.
Yeah, good got you. The Owl will absolutely pummel you for this, but…
- Honeybear - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:26 am:
Just read the update. So folks from Naperville cant commute to work in Chicago? Although it does blunt the impact of new jobs. so really we just added a couple hundred.
- Jack Stephens - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:26 am:
I’m against Welfare for the Wealthy. Like Free Government Entitlements for Com-Agra.
- DuPage Bard - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:26 am:
Let them eat ravioli!
- McEnuf - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:26 am:
Rahm raises middle class taxes and Rauner gives it away to Chef Boyardee…I wonder if any of their family members own a stake in ConAgra?
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:27 am:
Looks Sandack needs to take a little trip down Ogden and reassure his fellow Republicans that, “There is only so much that the administration can control.”
– MrJM
- John on the spot - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:28 am:
Governor Rauner’s ‘Beefaroni’ Agenda
- Old Shepherd - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:30 am:
“Like the Beef-A-Reeno through Kramer’s horse, these are the days of our lives.”
- Jeff Trigg - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:32 am:
This is typical crony capitalism, but come on, as if Quinn or Blago or Madigan or Cullerton or Emanuel wouldn’t do the exact same thing? This has nothing to do with which party is worse, they are both bad about this.
The point about Boeing is a good one, too. Its just the ConAgra HQ. The big wigs that make plenty of money to afford living in Winnetka/Chicago. A small fraction of their company, which isn’t impacted hardly at all by the state’s business climate.
ConAgra moving any of their production facilities to Illinois is a much different story and impacted a lot more by our business climate.
- Jack Stephens - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:36 am:
Your right.
Right To Work is the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Finally, after 200 years as a country……Bruce is giving us the Right to Work. I hope that I can keep my job till then because without this “Right” it’s illegal for me to work.
Please hurry Bruce and do this. Just sign an order to make it legal.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:38 am:
The trend in corporate HQs is back to the central cities from the suburban campuses.
The highly recruited whiz kids want to live and work downtown.
- Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:41 am:
I wouldn’t think anyone in Naperville would lose their job through this - it’s a 35 minute train ride into Chicago. Unless they wanted to leave on their own. Perhaps the Rep can further clarify his concern?
- Not Again - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:42 am:
Thought Wehrli was smarter than this. Naperville was losing 400 jobs in July the Gov and the Mayor worked to bring some of those jobs back. So instead of having 400 unemployed folks living in the Chicago area (someone needs to tell Wehrli there is no Naperville residency requirement to work at ConAgra) there are now those 400 + a few other hundred new jobs.
Maybe Wehrli should view this as good for businesses around the Metra station.
- Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:46 am:
-not again-
Thanks for the heads up on the previous decision to perhaps eliminate the Naperville jobs. Did not know that.
- Not Again - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:47 am:
From July
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20150722/business/150729658/
- illini - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:49 am:
As I said before - winners and losers. we all pay in one way or another.
- Liberty - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:49 am:
Rauner called these programs essential services during the campaign but doesn’t want to take claim his role in shutting them down.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:49 am:
Like CongAgra wasnt going to make the move to Chicago without the credits.
When you choose Chicago over Omaha, you ain’t thinking about Mickey Mouse credits. That’s a top exec lifestyle choice, like ADM moving from Decatur to Chicago.
The state called ADMs bluff on moving out of Illinois, if you’ll recall, and they made the move to Chicago, anyway.
- Anon - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:53 am:
Grant, if the governor is picking winners and losers, and you can’t see the losers, YOU are the loser. Grow a spine when it matters. You passed on many opportunities to stand up for your district since being elected, but you buried your head in the sand out of fear of Brucie the Great. Shark sandwich? More like s**t sandwich!
- From the 'Dale to HP - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:02 am:
What is the logic behind this for Rauner? I mean… I just… huh?
Why is he taking jobs away from his base? I mean… I just… huh?
- Lincoln Lad - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Rather than bemoan the loss of jobs in Naperville, I’d suggest seeking commuter cost support from the company for those employees who’d now be asked to commute. That would be a supportive ‘ask’ for the Representative to make, and has nothing to do with the Gov. A year or two of support from ConAgra would soften the blow for those affected. I’m still not sure I understand the Rep’s release.
- A guy - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:13 am:
I’ve worked the train station(s) in Naperville for years. It always appeared to me, the folks boarding the train were almost exclusively commuting to Chicago. You can get there from there.
- Any Mouse - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:19 am:
- Streator Curmudgeon-
== If Illinois voters knew everything is being held up because of draconian anti-union measures, I believe the tide would turn against the Rauner camp pretty quickly.==
10 out 11 private sector workers would ask: “What is this union thing of which you speak?”
- McEnuf - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:22 am:
Another big win for Chicago. The City remains the best thing about doing business in Illinois.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:28 am:
Rich, couldn’t agree with you more,”without business, and without jobs, we don’t bring in any taxes.” My question, what does that tell us about our existing tax structure. What role should govt play in picking winners and losers?how many small businesses are going to be stressed in the Windy City by proposed property tax increase.not everyone can get EDGE tax incentives. Mr Rauner, who pretends to be a big capitalist, would be hard pressed to find this in he Harvard Business School ethics class.
- Cheswick - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:40 am:
== JS Mill - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 10:05 am:
No one should be surprised. This is what we wanted. Right? ==
Yes. He might even say it’s what he was born to do. (Thanks Pat Quinn.)
- Facts are Stubborn Things - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:43 am:
with or without reforms we need a budget…..more elections will be needed to move a “turn around agenda” any further. MJM has said from day one, that the most important problem facing Illinois is a budget. The Gov. needs to actually propose a balanced budget with cuts and revenues…lead! Yes, leading effectively by fixing the structural deficit and running state gov. efficiently is itself a most important first step in any “turn around agenda”.
- illinifan - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:43 am:
Sometimes businesses look at not only their financial incentives but what other services a state or area has to offer employees. For socially responsible employers they may decide not to relocate to a state where all the other services and infrastructure are failing as they know their employees will not be well served through the schools or other services as a huge factor in recruiting and retaining quality employees.
- Bogey Golfer - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 11:56 am:
ConAgra goes from being a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in a big pond. They one of 4 Fortune 500 businesses in Omaha and likely a player in the political and cultural (no snark) environment there. While they will still have 1200 employees still in Omaha, will they still be a player there? And with a corporate staff of 700 moving here, will they truly partner with any non-profits here?
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:02 pm:
Maybe the CEO of ConAgra can part time as state fair director. I understand there is an opening.
- cailleach - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:08 pm:
“What is this union thing . . .” I don’t think Any Mouse meant it this way, but every time I read comments about killing the unions, I just want to shout: “Don’t you remember your history?” For a quick refresher, download the song ” Sixteen Tons “. I don’t want to be at the mercy ofBruce Rauner.
- jerry 101 - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
Love Wehrli’s comments - does he seriously think ConAgra was headquartered in Naperville?
Their HQ is in Omaha. Naperville was just a regional office that has only been open for like 10 years.
Apparently, they are going to leave a massive gaping hole in downtown Omaha. I was just reading that Omaha bulldozed a historic district about 30 years ago to make room for a ’suburban-style’ campus for ConAgra’s HQ. The Newspapers in Omaha seem more angry that ConAgra is vacating much o/f that campus than they are at losing ConAgra’s HQ status.
That said, seems like a lot of Agribusinesses are relocating to Chicago. How long, I wonder, until ADM and ConAgra merge?
- blue dog dem - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:28 pm:
Jerry-101….they are thinking about merging but need to iron out the details of taking over the states lottery system and toll roads. Stay tuned.
- Judgment Day - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:34 pm:
“We have no budget here, taxes are “brutal, absolutely brutal, killin’ Illinois, just killin’ this state…””
and
“We have no budget here, taxes are “brutal, absolutely brutal, killin’ Illinois, just killin’ this state… ””
———————-
I realize that “RDS” (Rauner Derangement Syndrome) is spreading like wildfire here, but just a few thoughts you might want to consider (but most likely won’t):
The ConAgra deal is a fantastic opportunity that leads to enormous opportunities for the State of IL. The State of IL is currently an agricultural sleeping giant. Our climate is ‘ok’ here in IL, but our fresh water supply is outstanding (statewide).
We’ve got a decent transportation network (can be improved, certainly), and a higher education system that is fixable (has issues in areas, but the AG component is pretty strong).
But, now IL has ‘opportunity’. Many of the Ag businesses located out West are suffering what looks to be long term impacts of the one thing that location-wise, there’s no easy solution for - lack of fresh water. Also known as “Drought”. And agriculture in those areas is getting the brunt of the impacts. So they are looking at how they are going to have to change their businesses.
This is all about medium and long term opportunity. It’s more economics and technology, and a lot less about ideology.
You get ConAgra (and others, like ADM) in Chicago, that’s where you can get educators from the College of ACES at the U of IL - U/C (or the Ag programs at ISU) direct access to the C-Suites. That’s when you can start to go big time in Agriculture. Lots of very positive things tend to happen under those circumstances.
Agriculture is one of the few areas where Illinois can really develop (and even greatly expand) a presence in the marketplace, in spite of our financial issues.
But you have to be able to see it through.
- Secret Square - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:34 pm:
Also want to note that the Mercatus Center report on state fiscal stability ranks Illinois 23rd (slightly above the median for all states) in “service level solvency” — its rough estimate of how much “fiscal slack” a state has to raise taxes to sustain the level of services its citizens desire.
- Anon2U - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:38 pm:
Well, this is a better freshman post than the #freshmanconfessions of yesterday.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:42 pm:
There is no consistently. It’s indefensible.
On a lighter note, I’m guessing that most people don’t realize Chef Boyardee’s real last name: Gambino.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:45 pm:
Judgement Day- ConAgra is moving to Illinois because of lack of water? Shoot let’s give em a port right on Lake Michigan,all the water they can handle, and scrap the EDGE tax incentives. Now your talking. I knew Rauner and his buddies were smart, but darn this is brilliant.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:48 pm:
One more thing, right after we convert Illinois to an AG state, we can maybe ask the AG community to start paying sales tax on equipment and charge fair market property tax rates.
- 100 Miles West - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
EDGE tax credits don’t always get used, except to give some paper cover to the desires of the top brass. Where the CEO wants their HQ located has been a top factor in deciding moves for a long time. There is also a difference between getting and existing business to move from one state, or city, to another. That is not job creation. Job creation requires our elected officials to make changes to the small biz environment so people can start new businesses and thrive. The food truck struggle in Chicago is an example of how hard it can be to really create new jobs.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:59 pm:
=== The food truck struggle in Chicago is an example of how hard it can be to really create new jobs. ===
+1
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:00 pm:
“The ConAgra deal is a fantastic opportunity…”
Maybe. For whom? For the people of Illinois? Does it provided better opportunities than childcare programs for poor working families, or home care programs for the elderly and disabled?
– MrJM
- illini - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:12 pm:
Judgement Day - agree with some of your comments, but I think you might be confusing fact with fiction.
I grew up on a family farm ( in our family over 100 years ) and know what farming is all about. My youngest brother ( Honors graduate from the UofI who passed on Corporate jobs to return to the farm ) is struggling to reap just some of the benefits that BVR is willing to give to a Corporation controls much of his livelihood.
I do want my state to prosper and grow, but when we are picking winners and losers. Your defense of RDS is almost beyond believable.
- Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:12 pm:
Oh wah wah, the white flight capitol of Illinois is gonna lose jobs to Chicago. Oh my heart bleeds.
- Judgment Day - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:13 pm:
Bdd, obviously I’m going to have to do this a little slower.
Illinois doesn’t have a lot of fiscal assets to play with the big boys in terms of incentives. But we have some, and if we combine those limited fiscal assets we do have with our ’structural assets’, we can make some good things happen.
Better than spending $7.3 mil scoreboard for a single use baseball stadium with mediocre attendance.
I’ll give you a practical example of something that is happening right now (temporarily put on hold, but will come to fruition). We’re making a large investment in the College of ACES at UI-U/C in terms of AG research (facilities and staff) where we are going to become competitive, if not in a strong nationwide (if not worldwide) leadership position in performing food research and food manufacturing/production.
Now, just because you build the facilities doesn’t mean that ‘demand’ will immediately appear. See St. Clair County & regional airport.
You got to be able to market yourself. It makes the marketing efforts a whole lot easier if the folks you want to communicate with are located right here in IL - and they would be in ConAgra’s case - that’s the way you create a long term business relationship that other firms will also want to emulate. It’s all about creating a trend.
Problematic? - maybe. But that’s what California did back in the 1960’s and 1970’s (with Agriculture; see UC-Davis), and it really worked out extremely well for them. There’s a model for Illinois to follow.
- Stan - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:34 pm:
Ducky –Oh wah wah, the white flight capitol of Illinois is gonna lose jobs to Chicago. Oh my heart bleeds.–
Illinos White Population 77.5%
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17000.html
Naperville White Population 76.5%
http://www.naperville.il.us/demographics.aspx
BTW, that type of rhetoric is non-productive
- Judgment Day - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:34 pm:
“I do want my state to prosper and grow, but when we are picking winners and losers. Your defense of RDS is almost beyond believable.”
———–
Illini, we’re going to have to agree to disagree on this one. Hate to break it to you, but the State of Illinois has been choosing winners and losers for a long time. And hasn’t done it particularly well.
Re: A $7.3 mil scoreboard for a scoreboard for a single use baseball stadium with mediocre attendance (latest example).
IMO, that’s indefensible.
Or how about the $52 mil that got directed under the Pat Quinn administration to all those human service entities. Remember that? Would have come in real handy these days.
I’m a contrarian. When I hear all the hype, I tend to look at what’s the backstory. And there’s a very interesting backstory going on in Agriculture here in Illinois.
Opportunity knocks.
- illini - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:37 pm:
Judgement Day - still not exactly sure where you are coming from - and I agree the St. Clair County airport was a boondoggle 20 years ago, but it may eventually pay off ( and that was probably 95% federal funding and no money from the state ), and if you are correct in the state $$ spent for a scoreboard in Chicago ( even though it is not my team ) I consider it to be well spent.
This still comes down to someone picking winners and losers and wishful thinking can not justify this kind of Crony Capitalism.
Would like to follow up, but I’m gone for a few hours.
- illini - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 1:55 pm:
Judgement Day - I have to get off this site and get some business taken care of - Agree, all levels of government have been picking “winners and losers” for many years - never said I agreed with the process, but given the legislation - as it is - it will continue. And that is not the way it should be.
Sorry, but these “give aways” to the big box retailers and corporate giants may have some limited benefits, but in the long term all of us are paying for this “feel good” and maybe politically popular approach to economic growth.
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 2:19 pm:
For crying out loud, as FH points out, the new CEO lives in Winnetka. He got the gig in April. You think we wanted to move to Omaha?
I’m sure Nebraska would have matched the welfare package dollar for dollar, if that was the decisive factor.
ADM threatened to leave the state unless they got the welfare. Unfortunately, the CFO had just bought a multi-million-dollar home in Lincoln Park when they made the threat, lol.
- Mama - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 2:30 pm:
++- blue dog dem - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 12:28 pm: Jerry-101….they are thinking about merging but need to iron out the details of taking over the states lottery system and toll roads. Stay tuned.++
Are you joking about the lottery system & toll roads being taken over by a private company? Will the money from lottery still go to the public K-12 schools? Will the state still get the money from the toll roads to build better roads?
- OneMan - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 2:38 pm:
Because none of those hard working folks in Naperville will be able to catch a train from one of the several train stations in the Naperville area into Chicago every day.
Give me a break…
- Harry - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 2:40 pm:
Reads like CK said that if the Genl Assy passes just a single one of Rauner’s proposals he would let the budget go forward.
- Tournaround Agenda - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 2:49 pm:
@Harry: As long as the single proposal has a provision curbing collective bargaining, I’m sure. Otherwise, the single provision could have been passed months ago.
- Bogey Golfer - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 3:03 pm:
@One Man - Average Monthly Metra Pass (Downtown Naperville & Route 59 are separate zones) - $192.38/mo. = $2308.50/yr. This is scheduled to go up 5% in 2016. Parking at the train station = $320.00/yr. (if you can get a quarterly pass), or take the PACE bus if you leave near one of the routes. It will be a 3/4 mile walk from Union Station to the Merchandise Mart. Yeah nothing like working in the City.
- Mama - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 3:16 pm:
Are all or some of the people in ConAgra/Naperville being fired? If that is the case, those people may not be re-hired at ConAgra/Chicago.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 3:28 pm:
Naperville!? Oh, no.
Join me in a moment of silence.
How will Naperville go on.
The state needs to come together now and help this struggling community.
First it was that horribly designed i-Drive system on BMWs, now ConAgra leaves for Chicago. When will the pain and suffering stop?
What’s a Napervillian to do?
- James - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 4:18 pm:
Someone is going to die because their support services are discontinued. That person will be discovered and will become Governor Rauner’s Willie Horton, which will dog him for the rest of his days in public life.
He can control the funding of programs but he chooses not to do so. What he can’t control are the consequences of pulling the plug.
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Oct 1, 15 @ 6:09 pm:
Mama–just joking. Judgement day–if you mean fiscal assets are an increase in both my income tax and property tax, then I need to take accounting 101 and learn to differentiate between assets and liabilities. Two points, the state universities here in Illini have been ripping tax payers and students off for decades. Come on, 9% annual increase for how long? Speaking from personal experience, there is NO sector of our economy more subsidized than AG. We(am I giving myself away?) are the beneficiaries of both political parties bending over backwards to gain our vote. I can admit it. Most can’t.