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* Gov. Pat Quinn just called a conservative think tank “pinheads“…
Gov. Pat Quinn opened the Illinois State Fair Friday by calling the event’s detractors “pinheads.”
The fair cost $2.7 million more than it brought in last year, leading to criticism from some interest groups that the event should be scaled back in tough budget times.
“There are, you know, pinheads who think that we should cut out the state fair,” Quinn said after cutting the ribbon on the 157th running of the fair. “I think they’re all wet. I think the people of Illinois want a state fair to celebrate our agriculture.” […]
“The notion of kicking the state fair in the shins is really wrong,” Quinn said.
* The unnamed “detractors” in the story would be the folks at the Illinois Policy Institute…
Texas stands in stark contrast to how Illinois has been running its state fairs, and Illinois should consider looking to Texas as a model to follow. Otherwise, it may end up having to cancel its fairs because of budgeting problems, as other states have had to do,
Texas’ state fair is held in Dallas, a major metropolitan area which has a huge nearby population base to draw from. It’s apples and oranges.
* The Ottawa paper published a story on the topic this week, and included quotes from some staunch fair defenders…
“Think about it. If we criticize everything the state loses money at, we’d never be done talking,” said Monty Whipple, La Salle County Farm Bureau president. “The Illinois State Fair is a yearly tribute to the state’s No. 1 business — agriculture — and it is an important source of education and entertainment not only for farm kids, but other (metropolitan) youths as well. I think it’s worth every penny we have to put into it.” […]
The Utica farmer said, for the small admission price, ($5 for adults, $2 for children under 12), it is a good deal for a family summertime adventure.
Vaugh Kiner, La Salle County Junior Fair president, agrees with Whipple.
“The State Fair is important for kids to meet other kids from other parts of the state where everyone has an opportunity to show off their accomplishments for the year,” Kiner said from his cell phone while walking along the Springfield fairgrounds this week. “Here young people learn things they can use the rest of their lives.”
The state fair is a big deal for rural kids. Getting chosen to exhibit there is a high honor. I made it once, and it was like going to Hollywood.
* In other budget-related news, the Chicago Tribune griped “Bah! Humbug!” about the sales tax holiday…
But it’s a fraud, and an expensive one. Despite the “back-to-school” label, the exemption applies to most clothing and shoes under $100, even if they are bought by adults who haven’t been inside a school in 40 years.
Will this at least give the state an economic boost? Tax holidays “do not promote economic growth or significantly increase consumer purchases,” concluded the Tax Foundation in Washington, D.C. They “simply shift the timing of purchases.”
If your kid needs a new notebook and calculator for school, after all, you don’t have much choice but to buy them, even with sales tax attached.
The brief respite helps low-income consumers only by helping lots of affluent shoppers who don’t need the break.
* Try telling that to these very happy businesspeople…
As the first sales tax “holiday” in Illinois heads into its final three days, retailers at suburban stores and malls are crowing that it produced Christmas-caliber crowds this week.
“It has been like the holidays here at Gurnee Mills. The only thing missing was the snow and Santa,” said Director of Marketing Michelle Rice.
Stratford Square Mall in Bloomingdale reported that traffic was up 12 percent last week compared to a year ago. […]
“People are living on a budget. The money they save through the tax break encourages them to buy that extra pair of shoes,” said Anita Blackford, senior vice president of mall operations at Stratford Square in Bloomingdale.
While retail sales figures are not available, mall officials say they are hearing anecdotally that sales at many stores are up.
“Our retailers are singing the praises. They are dancing to the sounds of the cash register,” Rice said at Gurnee Mills. Area Walmart stores are also reporting large crowds over the past week.
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association is also ecstatic.
* And now for some disappointing business news…
Illinois has lost out to Texas in a bid for a new Caterpillar plant.
Caterpillar Inc. said Thursday it chose Victoria, Texas, as the site for the new factory, which will make a line of excavating equipment, including some currently built in Aurora.
The new plant will employ about 500 when it opens in mid-2012. Aurora isn’t expected to lose jobs, however, because of Caterpillar’s recently announced plans to build hydraulic mining shovels there.
It’s the second time Caterpillar has shuffled some work from Illinois to Texas. Two years ago, the company chose Seguin, Texas, to make engines that previously were manufactured in Mossville, near Cat’s Peoria headquarters.
* Related and a roundup…
* Workers smiling at Des Plaines clothing factory
* Trade show comeback
* Manufacturing Technology Show recommits to more shows at McCormick
* Daley wants food service changes at McCormick Place
* Daley Touts New Rules at McCormick Place
* Chicago trying to keep trade shows from leaving
* Mattoon drops out of FutureGen 2.0
* Decatur trying to get Mattoon’s sport for FutureGen
* Springfield might enter FutureGen derby
* DOE official once led firm now redoing FutureGen
* 55% are skipping summer vacation
* Our Opinion: State museum could be put in peril by furloughs
* Can the Illinois pension catastrophe be stopped?
* Judge dismisses case against state’s transit funding scheme
* No break from the state
* School districts feeling budget pinch
* Push for inspector general for Metra continues
* Atheist sues for grant refund from landmark cross
* Rob Sherman sues cross landmark over state grant
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 2:57 pm
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The question isn’t whether the Retail Merchants Association is happy now… it’s whether they’re happy about 3 weeks after the sales tax holiday ends.
That’s when we will know if it generates sales that would have otherwise not happened or if it merely front-loaded sales now that would have just happened later.
Comment by John Bambenek Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 2:59 pm
John, IRMA is a pretty sophisticated outfit. I think they know what to expect.
Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:02 pm
Pinheads! Lol.
Keep on swinging Pat, if you’re going down anyway, you might as well tell it like it is for the next three months. Have some fun on the trail, what do you have to lose?
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:03 pm
Rich-
I’m sure they expect it will be glorious… I’m just saying let’s see what actually happens.
Comment by John Bambenek Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:04 pm
Sales tax holiday saved me 15 dollars, and cost the state around 60 million it didnt hav to lose.
I think we would have been better off if the State had kept the money….
it seems a contradiction to oppose tax cuts to individual becuase they do not stimulate or trickle donw into the economy, but support a defacto temp tax cut on sales.
Same problem, the money is not shifting back into the economy.
Comment by Ghost Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:04 pm
“Kicking the state fair in the shins . . .”
LOL. Quinn’s such a phony. In his honor — and this being Friday — I will now offer my one-size-fits-all Quinn straw man pander, suitable for any occasion:
“I mean, some people just don’t like ice cream. Well, tell that to our children. Children, as you know, are the future. And the future is very important.”
Comment by Corduroy Bob Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:16 pm
Any chance labor unions will respond productively to CAT’s decision? Nah, didn’t think so.
Comment by GoldCoastConservative Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:18 pm
You know I would be more apt to attend a state fair if it was held in the Chicago area or in the city. It’s not hard to go to Springfield, but it would be a little easier if it was held in Chicago.
Comment by Levois Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:30 pm
==there are, you know, pinheads….==
As a certain teenager in my life would say with sarcasm, as she rolls her eyes: “how mature!”
Comment by Responsa Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:31 pm
You know, the state capitol isn’t the James R. Thomson Center. Not yet, at least.
Comment by John Bambenek Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:34 pm
Not everything has to be in or near Chicago. Yes, it has a high population to draw from, but the state fair is about agriculture. It’s an opportunity for those from places like Chicago to leave the concrete jungle and come experience a little bit of the heartland.
Comment by Demoralized Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:35 pm
Getting picked to show at the state fair has been a highpoint of many a 4-H career, but those days truly are numbered. With the current purging of Extension’s staff by the big U, as well as counties no longer supporting a program they have no say in managing, there will not be staff to coordinate the show or judge those projects. Add to that the utter disrepair of the Junior buildings, as the Junior Home Ec Building and Dorms are very near being outright condemned, and you have a perfect storm that may very well end youth involvement in the state fair.
Comment by Unspecified Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:38 pm
Once again, Quinn makes stuff up to try and justify another histrionic tantrum. IPI suggested (very appropriately given our financial crunch) that the fair be scaled back or re-structured to either break even or (God forbid!!!) make money like many others do. IPI only said if the fair couldn’t be brought into financial line, we should consider canceling it until it can. That’s hardly a “pinhead” idea. It’s the kind of thinking that has him down 13 points.
Yeah, yeah, we all like the fair and the cute animals and we want farm kids to win ribbons we want Styx to have someplace to play, but the point is (a point Quinn still won’t accept) is that we can’t afford the stuff we MUST have, let alone the stuff we’d LIKE to have.
Comment by Adam Smith Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:41 pm
Texas’ state fair is held in Dallas, a major metropolitan area which has a huge nearby population base to draw from. It’s apples and oranges.
And it makes money because it is there. You want a state fair? How about locating it where, you know, most of the citizens live?
The state fair is a big deal for rural kids. Getting chosen to exhibit there is a high honor. I made it once, and it was like going to Hollywood.
So, what do you think your response would have been if you were told that you would be going to the state fair in Chicago!
Like Hollywood? Nah - more like going to the moon!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:52 pm
>Texas’ state fair is held in Dallas, a major metropolitan area which has a huge nearby population base to draw from. It’s apples and oranges.
I think they want the fair moved to Chicago, the Quad Cities or St. Louis - where there’s a lot more people. Springfield would have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING going for it if the state fair left this city.
Comment by Segatari Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 3:55 pm
While we’re at it, why don’t we just move the ILGA to where most the people live? We want public participation, right?
Comment by John Bambenek Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:01 pm
=I think we would have been better off if the State had kept the money….=
Not unless you invested in a new keyboard, Ghost.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:10 pm
How do the furlough day employees feel about their pay cuts offsetting a revenue losing event? Like pinheads, I guess.
Comment by Confused Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:11 pm
Your sacred cow is the state fair. For others it is free rides for seniors.
Comment by whatever Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:13 pm
=I made it once, and it was like going to Hollywood.=
At least you got over, Rich. (Thank goodness for Illinois. lol)
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:17 pm
Hey! How about having the Illinois State Fair in Dallas?
They’d love our “Corruptocrat” and “Corruptacan” booths!
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:18 pm
I do think geography plays a significant role in Illinois State Fair attendance. A goodly number of Chicago area families travel north to the Wisconsin State Fair rather than down to Springfield. I wonder if there has ever been an attempt at a study on how many Illinois dollars are spent on food, rides and concert events at our neighboring state’s agricultural fair (and on a tankful of cheaper gas for the car while they’re across the boarder).
Comment by Responsa Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:23 pm
This Chicago boy went to the DuQuoin fair last year for a day, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ate a corn dog and a funnel cake, fed a white tiger, watched some magic tricks and some prize cows, got photographed on a tractor, bought some wine from the Shawnee, and in the evening, watched a gospel concert and a rodeo. Good times.
More Chicagoans ought to get out to it. It’s a total change of pace from the city life, and lots of fun.
Comment by ZC Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:25 pm
Aw, come on, V-Man. I’d leave the State ONLY if we could negotiate as part of the “CapFax contract” that all of the bands would only sing songs to V-Man’s lyrics.
Make it so, and I’m packin’.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:25 pm
Caterpillar is the big story — Texas is starting to resemble Colorado in “Atlas Shrugged,” (not just biz friendly government but lots of natural advantages). But hey, don’t really treat Mike Madigan as evil, don’t demand your incumbant buck their leadership and support the sensible combination of income tax hikes, medicare reform, pension reform, and government service cuts every sensible person knows the state needs, don’t rant about the pork squandering of stimulus projects (instead, keep spending billions on high speed rails to St. Louis rather than Milwaukee and a trucks only crosstown expressway along Cicero Ave.), keep Chicago a “sanctuary city” with overcrowded schools that have 8% of its grads, and ignore Sandra Day O’Connor when she tells you our judicial system is suspect. It’s not like you won’t be following your job out of state soon enough anyway.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:27 pm
Oops, lost a point in mid-rant: I meant to reference the Sun-Times story this week that only 8% of Chicago high school graduates are prepared for college level work.
Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:28 pm
Corduroy Bob, that had me falling on the floor laughing.
I still think the worst State Fair-related decision in the past decade was made by the genious that paid Fergie a ton of money up front and then watched as they state lost almost a quarter million bucks on the show. It’s decisions like that which make it hard to argue against some form of, ahem, reform.
Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:29 pm
It might also help, in terms of promoting the state fair, or for that matter anything, if state cutbacks had not slashed the IL Tourism Department within an inch of its life. Or so my sources within the department tell me. Somehow I suspect that’s another difference between us and Texas.
You can’t expect people to go to the state fair, if you don’t spend any money to tell people that it exists, or that it’s fun.
Comment by ZC Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:30 pm
he unnamed “detractors” in the story would be the folks at the Illinois Policy Institute…
“Texas stands in stark contrast to how Illinois has been running its state fairs, and Illinois should consider looking to Texas as a model to follow. Otherwise, it may end up having to cancel its fairs because of budgeting problems, as other states have had to do,”
Parse this carefully. They aren’t saying NO to the State Fair at all. They are just proposing a different way to do things to make the fair profitable.
Rich,
Apple and Oranges comparison. Not really. How about a new way of thinking instead? If the State Fair were held in Chicago, say McCormick place or the former home of Meigs Field it would be great! And I am not speaking just about increased adult attendance, but the opportunity for the urbanites, especially kids, to see the agricultural history of Illinois, and agriculture’s current importance.
Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:45 pm
Nothing wrong with calling a pinhead a pinhead.
Comment by TroubleMaker Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:51 pm
The State Fair in the City? Uh uh, IMO. That’s just plain wrong.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:54 pm
CapFax Band singing to V-Man’s tunes. That’ll drive the number up. Talk to your bro, Rich.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 4:56 pm
You know, I have no songs ready if Blagojevich is found not guilty.
So, if he actually gets away with this, I’m just going to suggest we play, The Theme From “A Summer Place” by Percy Faith & His Orchestra, and curse a lot.
And drink. Lots. A nice single malt Islay with a chaser of Clorox Bleach. That new scent. Um, I think they got an organic version that is dolphin free with fiber.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 5:06 pm
Move the State Fair out of Springpatch? What next, suggesting that Santa Claus move away from the North Pole to save travel costs?
Comment by Bookworm Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 5:12 pm
V-Man…the Muse seems to be at work. You’re just not listening, hun.
Consider taking what you wrote in your 5:06 and put it to a tune.
Margaritaville, maybe?
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 5:12 pm
The other thing with the Texas State Fair is that they have a little thing called the Oklahoma-Texas football game that brings 90,000+ to the Cotton Bowl each year.
Comment by ourMagician Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 5:19 pm
Bookwork,
Santa is a private independent contractor with a non-unionized staff of elves in an OSHA non-compliant and a PETA non-compliant leash of deer.
The Fair is on the taxpayers dime.
Comment by Cincinnatus Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 5:22 pm
=Oklahoma-Texas football game that brings 90,000+ to the Cotton Bowl each year=
Yeah, well not to be “out done” by Texas, Illinois could sponsor it’s own game of “Hot Potatoe” AT the State Fair itself.
Get a bunch of Tates (sorry, Idaho), paint your “favorite” IL politician’s face on it, and throw it into the crowd.
The one who gets passed around the most, wins the election.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 5:31 pm
“The state fair is a big deal for rural kids. Getting chosen to exhibit there is a high honor. I made it once, and it was like going to Hollywood.”
Yeah…kids probably within 50-100 mi. of Sfld.
There are LOTS of County Fairs where kids can display, show & feel good about their accomplishments. Let’s support them too.
Comment by sal-says Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 5:56 pm
The Kirk Campaign’s latest ad. LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2ImKNSVxWk&feature=related
Sorry. Just couldn’t resist. LOL
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 7:08 pm
Note the strategic use of the word “Bank” in the ad. Subtle, but it sticks, doesn’t it?
V-Man does it again. LOL
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 7:12 pm
“There are, you know, pinheads who think that we should cut out the state fair,” Quinn said after cutting the ribbon on the 157th running of the fair. “I think they’re all wet. I think the people of Illinois want a state fair to celebrate our agriculture.” […]
Quinn sure thinks it is a good idea to cut funding for all the County Fairs.
Comment by NoReally Friday, Aug 13, 10 @ 7:27 pm
I think comparing the WI State Fair to the IL State Fair is apples and oranges. If the IL fair were held in Naperville for 100 years, it would still be in Naperville, and Naperville would be a little different than it is today. West Allis, WI, has been the home of the WI fair since 1892. Heading to Milwaukee to watch 80s hair bands and country music (which is great!) is different than going to Springfield and experiencing a more rural, traditional state fair. Neither seem to lack for attendance.
But comparing it to the Texas state fair is apples to beef jerky. 3 million attendees, 24 days, the TX-OK football game, historical location in Dallas–yikes! Chicago’s version is currently spread out over a couple of months and is referred to as the Taste of Chicago/Lollapalooza/Lincoln Park Zoo. It just doesn’t add up to the IL state fair.
Comment by Lefty Lefty Saturday, Aug 14, 10 @ 1:17 am
Hey Rich, just so you know, there are two papers in Ottawa, one a daily (The Times, the paper you linked to in your post) and a weekly that has new news daily on its website (Ottawa Delivered, which started up last year). You should keep track of both of them, they both do some good work.
Comment by Ottawa reader Saturday, Aug 14, 10 @ 1:14 pm
The state fair is going on? Who knew? If the goal is to attract more people, you need to put on a concerted advertising and PR push. I haven’t seen anything on it in the Chicago market.
Some sort of packages, like with the Lincoln Museum, hotels, Amtrak, would be attractive to families if you give them enough time to plan. You’re competing for the Great America/Hurricane Harbor crowd.
The timing is tough, too. Those who could afford to go on vacation this year are on vacation or back already before school starts.
Comment by wordslinger Sunday, Aug 15, 10 @ 7:59 am
Actually, there is something wrong with calling someone a pinhead. There is a real medical condition called microcephalus and it can be a severe disability and a cause of mental retardation. Referring to someone as a pinhead because you think that they are stupid is an insult to people who have intellectual disabilities. Call it political correctness, if you like. I call it sensitivity to refrain from using terms like “tard”, “retard”, “pinhead”, etc.
Comment by Aldyth Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 7:18 am
With the Wisconsin State Fair located on the south side of Milwaukee, dosen’t Northeastern Illinois already have its own state fair? Even Wisconsin gets its not a bad idea to have the State Fair grrounds near its largest city.
Comment by Anon3 Monday, Aug 16, 10 @ 7:34 am