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* CTU honcho upset at the governor about the Bears stadium plan…
Um, no.
* From the linked article…
Rivian will add more than 500 jobs as it expands its electric-vehicle assembly plant in Normal to produce a new small SUV, the company’s CEO said today in a joint announcement with the governor.
The state will provide Rivian with $75 million from its deal-closing fund and $634 million in tax incentives over 30 years. In return, Rivian will add at least 550 jobs over the next five years and invest $1.5 billion in its manufacturing operations.
The state also is funding a second manufacturing-job training academy in Normal. The total value of the incentive package is $827 million and requires Rivian to maintain at least 6,000 jobs in Illinois.
That works out to $4,594 per job, per year over the 30-year lifespan of the deal. [It’s actually probably much less than that because the company currently employs 8,000 workers in Normal] The deal requires Rivian to pay minimum wages of $51,000.
Not to mention the suppliers and other companies coming to the state because Rivian is here and expanding.
* From Deputy Gov. Manar…
Also, I asked Mr. Potter where he stood on the Bears stadium plan. He’s so far refused to give me a straight answer.
…Adding… From a Crain’s editorial…
Rivian’s presence has turbocharged the Bloomington-Normal economy. Since Rivian bought a shuttered Mitsubishi plant there in 2017 for $16 million, the Irvine, Calif.-based company has hired more than 8,000 workers in Illinois. Rivian has invested more than $2 billion and produced more than 100,000 vehicles, including trucks, SUVs and delivery vans.
Meanwhile, Rivian has become an anchor of a nascent electric-vehicle ecosystem in Illinois, which Pritzker has leveraged to attract more jobs, including Rivian supplier Gotion, which is building a battery-assembly plant in Manteno expected to employ 2,600 people after the state offered up $536 million in incentives. Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge and Chrysler, is converting its Belvidere assembly plant to make an electric truck and adding a battery plant in an expansion expected to create 5,000 jobs in the Rockford area, a decision helped along by interventions from Pritzker as well as President Joe Biden. […]
Another sign Illinois is getting nimbler in the race for the technology jobs of the future comes in the realm of quantum computing. As Crain’s reported last month, two massive industrial sites symbolizing Chicago’s manufacturing decline — the former U.S. Steel South Works site on the Far South Side and the former Texaco refinery in Lockport — could get new life in the race to build cutting-edge quantum technology. […]
The quantum action as well as the Rivian win confirm investment can beget more investment. It’s a lesson Illinois may have learned a little later than some other states — but it’s an important lesson nevertheless.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, May 3, 24 @ 1:18 pm
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Oh, do I ever look forward to the FOIA results that uncover CTU’s weird enthusiasm for the Bears’ proposed money pit.
Comment by Roadrager Friday, May 3, 24 @ 1:23 pm
CTU is a strategic and messaging dumpster fire.
Comment by SpiDem Friday, May 3, 24 @ 1:23 pm
== CTU is a strategic and messaging dumpster fire. ==
Yeah, Jackson and Stacy should probably sit out a few plays. The compulsion to chime in on everything is not helping their cause.
Comment by TNR Friday, May 3, 24 @ 1:36 pm
CTU, for the love of everything holy, and as a lifelong city resident, please stop making an idiot out of yourselves. Making an enemy of the governors office, especially one who is ideologically predisposed to support most of your efforts and viewpoints, is really dumb.
Let it go and work harder for your goals. Don’t get sidetracked.
Comment by low level Friday, May 3, 24 @ 1:42 pm
I support the use of tax dollars to create jobs for Rivian and I support the use of tax dollars to create jobs for the construction of a stadium in Chicago. What I do not support is the use of tax dollars to support organizations like CTU that use those dollars to preach hatred and antisemitic rhetoric.
Comment by Say What Friday, May 3, 24 @ 1:49 pm
The Bears second best off-season acquisition outside of Caleb Williams, would be dumping Kevin Warren and bringing in Andy Manar for the new stadium effort.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Friday, May 3, 24 @ 1:58 pm
Clearly the CTU’s strategy is to try and make themselves look so idiotic that their chosen Mayor actually looks good.
Comment by Just Me 2 Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:00 pm
The CTU, whose sole reason for existing is to expeditiously transfer taxpayer dollars into the pockets of its workers, is horrified to learn that other industries may also occasionally receive taxpayer dollars for their workers.
Comment by sulla Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:10 pm
Sosoism bruh, that’s just the laws of supply and command.
Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:16 pm
Mr Jackson is reason why we should protect the children of Chicago from CTU
Comment by NotRich Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:18 pm
= From Deputy Gov. Manar=
That $51,000 number is perhaps a bit generous – the vast majority of new hires will be “team members”
They will get paid 120% of the average wage $36,917*1.20=$44,300.4
From the REV Illinois Agreement:
The company shall create 559 New Employees by December 31, 2029 with wages equal to or above 120 percent of the average wage paid to full-time employees in the same job classification in McLean County.
For example, the Company will use the Compensation Floor as of the Effective Date for a New Employee hired on January 1, 2025. On January 1, 2028, the Company shall ensure that employee’s Compensation Floor is adjusted to comply with the current county wage at that time.
Job Title Occupational Code Project Location Avg. Wage in McLean County Company Anticipated Hiring Wage Number of Jobs
Team Member 51-9199 100 Rivian Motorway (Normal, Illinois) $ 36,917 509
Group Leader 51-1011 100 Rivian Motorway (Normal, Illinois) $ 71,898 25
Manager, Assembly 11-1021 100 Rivian Motorway (Normal, Illinois) $ 77,496 10
Sr. Manufacturing Process Engineer 17-2141 100 Rivian Motorway (Normal, Illinois) $ 83,703 15
Total 559
Comment by Donnie Elgin Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:25 pm
Yesterday was a win for Bloomington-Normal. Rivian has continued with layoffs in the short term but I appreciate their long term commitment to downstate Illinois and to creating high paying jobs.
Comment by Mr.Middleground Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:26 pm
I like Manar’s work. And his voice. Rational and respectful. Didn’t like him at first when he was elected. But he knows what he is doing.
Comment by Overbay Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:33 pm
I have no idea why CTU leadership is so scared of silence but someone needs to tell them that you don’t need to fill every single moment in every single discussion. Sometimes you can just let something sail by. Most times really.
Comment by VK Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:42 pm
If only Jackson Potter could share concrete plans to raise Chicago students’ test scores in reading and math. That information would be welcome news.
Comment by Rudy’s teeth Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:50 pm
Here’s hoping Rivian can capitalize on Tesla’s problems and keep advancing. They have been great for the community so far. Something that could also help Rivian in B-N is more affordable housing getting built here.
Comment by hisgirlfriday Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:57 pm
There is much more of an impact to the Blo-No area than has been stated. The housing market there is really something else. It is pretty good in most place, but it is really incredible there. Very few empty storefronts in Blo-No as well. Rivian has far exceeded what I thought their impact would be. I was a doubter, I was wrong.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:58 pm
“If only Jackson Potter could share concrete plans to raise Chicago students’ test scores in reading and math. That information would be welcome news.”
At least the Rivian deal has actual performance measures built-in. We’ll have to wait and see if the new CTU contract is equally as tough.
Comment by sulla Friday, May 3, 24 @ 3:12 pm
==That $51,000 number is perhaps a bit generous==
Lol. Certainly can’t have above average wages now can we? Any other idiotic things you want to complain about?
Comment by Demoralized Friday, May 3, 24 @ 3:15 pm
Just hope that the area catches up to the demand and starts building housing, including affordable housing, already. It seems like that there are a handful of streets being extended and built upon here and there, but the pace of construction has been laughably slow given how much the demand for housing in McLean County has boomed.
I unironically want to say that Lexington has had more homes built in it in the past year than either Bloomington or Normal, though I’m sure that’s more hyperbole than reality.
Comment by TJ Friday, May 3, 24 @ 3:39 pm
Probably get crucified for this question, but so what…
Does everyone involved/employed with/by some Chicago organization/outfit/or municipality feel the unavoidable need to comment on everything that goes on in that city?
Comment by Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter Friday, May 3, 24 @ 3:55 pm
===I unironically want to say that Lexington has had more homes built in it in the past year than either Bloomington or Normal, though I’m sure that’s more hyperbole than reality.===
The surrounding communities like El Paso, Lexington, Towanda, Heyworth, Downs, etc. used to have affordable housing stock for those who were willing and able to make the short commute into B-N. Not so sure they are as affordable anymore.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Friday, May 3, 24 @ 4:08 pm
- Just Me 2 - Friday, May 3, 24 @ 2:00 pm:
Clearly the CTU’s strategy is to try and make themselves look so idiotic that their chosen Mayor actually looks good.
This one wins the Internet today. Especially when their chosen Mayor is running to his SUV dodging reporters’ questions. And then his camp says it isn’t him. Perhaps MBJ called them and said “I need you to help divert some attention - can you jump on this grenade for me about the EV plant being built by Rivian?”
Comment by Just a guy Friday, May 3, 24 @ 4:12 pm
@FEUC- yes they do. These groups have to rush and defend every measure that is listed that could hurt their Mayor.
It’s no different than the Trump folks online. Anytime their hero is disparaged it’s all whataboutisms and remember when blah blah.
CTU and City grant paid for “community organizations” and Trump defenders same same. Attack attack attack all contradicting viewpoints, call people stupid, cite outdated data, call people racist etc etc rinse and repeat.
Comment by Frida's boss Friday, May 3, 24 @ 4:27 pm