Illinois and the abortion issue
Monday, Jun 13, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Back to that Sun-Times/WBEZ poll…
The poll was clear where Illinois Republican voters stand.
Nearly two-thirds of the Republicans surveyed supported tossing out Roe v. Wade, with less than a fifth in opposition.
Fewer than 20 percent of Republicans oppose tossing out Roe v. Wade, according to that poll. And not a single Republican in either state legislative chamber is pro-choice. Just more reasons why that recent “analysis” from Capitol News Illinois was so far off the mark.
* Brian Rogal at the Tribune…
Site selection experts say they don’t expect a Supreme Court ruling against Roe v. Wade to result in a sudden flood of new company headquarters moving to Illinois or Chicago. But promoting the state as a haven for reproductive rights could possibly burnish its reputation as a business hub.
“Companies are really in a battle to hire and retain the best talent, and young workers prefer to work for companies that prioritize environmental, social and governance issues,” and that now includes abortion, said John Boyd, principal of The Boyd Co., a national site selection firm. “I can certainly see (overturning Roe v. Wade) impacting some companies more sensitive to the abortion issue.” […]
“It is reasonable to anticipate that reproductive rights will receive the most attention given the history, the number of people impacted, and the extreme measures being implemented in some states,” [Ray Perryman, CEO of The Perryman Group, a Waco, Texas-based economic research and analysis firm] said. “While I would not expect either a mass exodus of firms from or a major initial slowdown in locations to the more restrictive states, I am confident that there will be long-term benefits to more inclusive areas.” […]
[World Business Chicago CEO Michael Fassnacht] said a shift in attitude is underway among business leaders in states such as Texas. He recently met with a group of about 50 from Austin, Dallas and other cities, and asked whether all the controversy now surrounding abortion would start affecting decisions on where to locate new business.
“Roughly half of them said yes,” he said. “That’s a pretty strong indication, I think.” […]
Abortion restrictions are already unpopular. A March survey by Morning Consult, a business intelligence firm, found that by a 2-to-1 margin, employed adults prefer living in states where abortion is legal.
Fassnacht is a committed and paid booster, and he’s likely meeting with people who are at least remotely open to the idea of possibly locating something here.
- NotRich - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 1:59 pm:
At the end of the day.. it’s corporate tax structure and business climate. Remember everyone said that the film industry would leave Georgia. Not so much
- Steve - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:05 pm:
Don’t forget those public pensions. A few corporate types look at the Illinois state constitution as a bit of a problem for reform.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:08 pm:
===Don’t forget those public pensions.===
The IPI thinking ignores the continual ranking of corporate investment in Chicagoland ranked #1
If you forget that investment money says Chicagoland is tops for corporate monies…
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:16 pm:
===And not a single Republican in either state legislative chamber is pro-choice.===
If Roe is all but overturned, will all these pro-life Republicans publicly cheer and be seen as happy?
If the leaked decision is any indication…
It’s a losing political position for this GOP here, they caught the car, now they don’t know what to do as Republicans will be described as dangerous to women’s health.
- Jibba - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:18 pm:
=== those public pensions===
Thinks the CEO: I can go to Illinois where my immediate hiring needs can be met, my retention recruiting of younger folks is better, and I can get water to manufacture my products today. Or I can stick it out where I am because there is a problem in Illinois that I most likely won’t have to address at all. Hmmm….
I’d be shouting this kind of stuff from the rooftops if I were JB.
- TheInvisibleMan - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:19 pm:
“A few corporate types”
The types who spun their company pensions off into shell subsidiaries, to write debt against the pension assets and then transfer that wealth to the company. After fully extracting the value from the company pension, it was filed under bankruptcy laws and brushed off the company books like their bad dandruff. Oh, and by the way - no more pension for anyone in retirement who was promised one as a condition of their labor.
Yes. That seems like someone I would listen to on this topic.
- Cool Papa Bell - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:21 pm:
=== those public pensions===
Fully funded this year with a little extra thrown in for good measure.
- Pundent - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:32 pm:
=Don’t forget those public pensions.=
I’ve worked for many public and private companies in this state over the years and most of those roles required regular interaction with the CEO and other leaders. Public pensions have never been a source of discussion or factored at all in decision making.
- JS Mill - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:39 pm:
=Don’t forget those public pensions.=
Does it hurt with your hair on fire like that?
- Arsenal - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 2:51 pm:
== Don’t forget those public pensions.==
Public pensions are, by definition, not a concern for private businesses.
- Norseman - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 3:03 pm:
Illinois: Where women, minorities, LGBTQ and all citizens have rights; and we don’t ban books or whitewash history.
- Cool Papa Bell - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 3:03 pm:
=as a bit of a problem for reform.=
See Tier 2.
- Lester Holt’s Mustache - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 3:12 pm:
=Don’t forget those public pensions==
I think Ken Griffin skews the perception of CEO’s among some Illinoisans. Griffin is unlike most other business leaders in that he doesn’t have to concern himself with things that Jibba mentions - staffing concerns, production needs, logistics, etc. Griff doesn’t actually produce anything, and has a relatively small staff. That’s the problem with Griff, he’s a hedge fund guy and can basically let his own personal tax rates drive his decision making (at least as it concerns political involvement). In Griffin’s mind, unions and public pensions are directly tied to that. Other CEO’s don’t have that luxury
- supplied_demand - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 3:13 pm:
==Illinois: Where women, minorities, LGBTQ and all citizens have rights; and we don’t ban books or whitewash history. ==
Also, you can smoke weed and bet on sports. FREEDOM!
- Been There - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 3:18 pm:
We will also have competition on this issue from California, NY, DC, Seattle, Denver and Massachusetts as we already do for headquarters. Some Texas, Tennessee and Georgia companies might in the mix. But I think that whole thinking is a stretch. Especially with more remote working especially for tech hires.
- Jibba - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 4:01 pm:
===But I think that whole thinking is a stretch===
Maybe, but why not take a swing?
- David Thompson - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 5:01 pm:
Not a single competent biz owner will move to Illinois to pay higher taxes just because of abortion.
- Proud Papa Bear - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 5:06 pm:
“Not a single competent biz owner will move to Illinois to pay higher taxes just because of abortion.”
I can already think of at least one very successful ob-gyn in El Paso who is considering just that.
- Captain Obvious - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 5:13 pm:
Not a single competent biz owner whose business does not involve killing fetuses will move to Illinois because of abortion. There fixed it to fit your comment Papa Bear.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 5:15 pm:
===Not a single competent biz owner whose business does not involve killing fetuses will move to Illinois because of abortion.===
… and yet, for the record, business are saying just that, and more to political polices.
===[World Business Chicago CEO Michael Fassnacht] said a shift in attitude is underway among business leaders in states such as Texas. He recently met with a group of about 50 from Austin, Dallas and other cities, and asked whether all the controversy now surrounding abortion would start affecting decisions on where to locate new business.
“Roughly half of them said yes,” he said. “That’s a pretty strong indication, I think.” […]===
Keep up.
- MisterJayEm - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 5:19 pm:
“Not a single competent biz owner will move to Illinois to pay higher taxes just because of abortion.”
Some business owners consider highly competent employees who are happy to have their full panoply of human rights to be of great value to the company and the company’s success.
Other business owners are solely preoccupied with tax rates.
– MrJM
- Proud Papa Bear - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 6:17 pm:
@Captain Obvious
Let me know when you have an ectopic pregnancy. I know someone who can save your life.
- Tech Worker - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 9:08 pm:
My company has a significant presence in Texas, and there’s been a huge upsurge in questions about relocation to other offices from Texas employees in the wake of the leaked draft. Remains to be seen how many follow through. But they’re highly-paid, highly-educated, in-demand employees with location options, and they’re getting nervous about remaining in Texas.
Anecdotally HRBPs say that a lot of the interest comes from parents of teenagers and young couples who don’t have kids yet, though I don’t know if there’s any data. We’re also hearing from recruiters that interest in the Texas offices is down among recent graduates. Austin’s been very popular the last few years among recent grad hires, since it’s a lot more affordable than San Francisco, but interest in office locations for new hires has shifted a lot this spring.
Again, don’t know how many will follow through. But especially for recent graduates who don’t have ties to Texas, I think it’s a lot less attractive than it was at this time last year.
My company’s Illinois presence is relatively small (my team is pretty specialized), so I don’t really have a guess about how tech migration away from Texas would impact Illinois specifically. I do know several people on the team I work with most often in Austin are looking at European transfers. A lot of people who thought, “maybe I’ll spend two years in the EU offices at some point” are thinking, “Well, why not now?” (Many more of them are looking at East Coast locations because their team is half-Austin, half-East Coast.)
It may not move that many people who weren’t at least considering moving — it may just be accelerating plans of people who wanted to relocate in the future, and making the Texas offices less-attractive to people who weren’t already interested in Texas. But over many thousands of individual decisions, that does add up.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 9:28 pm:
Corporate profits and many billionaires control people like Governor Perry. They will change Perry before they move. That said, I’m sure there is a niche that will find the sanity up here attractive.
- Jibba - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 9:40 pm:
===billionaires control people like Governor Perry===
Think you mean Abbott. But politics and rights are only part of the equation. The other parts are climate change, availability of resources like water and energy, education of the work force, transport links, and similar things. Frankly, Texas is going its own way loudly and proudly. But I don’t deny that businesses entirely centered on profits alone will not move here, but profit might become a factor in the future if you can’t obtain water, afford summer cooling, or keep a full staff.
- ChicagoMom - Monday, Jun 13, 22 @ 9:54 pm:
It’s not crazy at all to imagine businesses relocating to Illinois over abortion. What not enough people realize is that when abortion is outlawed, it about a lot more than abortion- many reproductive health interventions would be illegal. It’s hard to see why obstetricians would want to work in a state where essential medical care is illegal, and women and will want to work in states where they can get the health care they need.