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Yep, just keep talking us up like that

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Illinois

* The governor had this to say the other day about the now-shuttered Mitsubishi manufacturing plant…

“Our administration has worked hard to find a buyer, another manufacturing firm that would come and take over that plant because they could virtually get it for free and there’s already trained people to work in it,” Rauner said. “Nobody is interested because of our regulations.”

* But…

Mike O’Grady, Vice President with the McLean County Economic Development Center, said not so fast.

“We are cautiously optimistic,” O’Grady said. “Is it tomorrow? No. They are private, these are quiet conversations. These things don’t happen overnight.”

O’Grady told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin the EDC gets multiple calls every week from interested parties and in some cases, there have been follow up conversations.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:02 pm

Comments

Maybe they could let the Governor in on the negotiatin’ he’s doing such a great job with the GA on a budget.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:05 pm
And AFSCAMMY with a contract. /s

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:05 pm
With a leader like this, who needs enemies.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:07 pm
===“Nobody is interested…”===

vs.

===the EDC gets multiple calls every week from interested parties and in some cases, there have been follow up conversations.===

Who should I believe?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:07 pm
The Boss says it well-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VBPKsXp-ao

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:08 pm
Governor Tells Employers “Don’t Come Here Our Regulations Will Destroy You,” wonders why businesses won’t come.

I may have been wrong about Rauner. It’s not just government he hates - it’s the whole state - he hates us all!

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:12 pm
Landing a business doesn’t fit Mr Doom and Gloom’s story line ..

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:13 pm
This gov is an epic failure on all fronts with the exception of successfully creating a crisis atmosphere that he cannot control.

Comment by El Conquistador Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:13 pm
Did the Governor say which regulations? I didn’t think so!

Comment by very old soil Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:14 pm
Maybe Rauner is a actually a sleeper agent from Indiana. /s

Comment by ChicagoVinny Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:16 pm
For all his Chicago-bashing, has there ever been a governor worse for Downstate Illinois?

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:18 pm
Madigan and the McLean County EDC that he controls

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:18 pm
A sleeper agent from Indiana? He’s a freakin’ assassin from Smersh!

Comment by Springfieldish Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:20 pm
I just read where Subaru dealerships here won’t give discounts because they are so back-ordered and high in demand. They build their cars in a leased section of a Toyota plant. Imagine how much they could do with the Mitsubishi plant!

Comment by Newsclown Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:20 pm
The governor knows his agencies can change the regulations right?

Comment by Unsolicited advice Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:20 pm
Someone’s interested in the Mitsubishi plant? Well, we can’t have that happening without my turnaround agenda. Time to kill off any interest in economic development.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:20 pm
Just go around the state and you will see all the empty factories and store fronts in Illinois. We currently have the highest unemployment rate in the country. Someone tell me what is driving this. I say workers comp. and high taxes.

Comment by Dandy Edward Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:22 pm
Speaker Madigan and the Business Recruitment he controls.

Comment by siriusly Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:22 pm
“Regulations” are the new “Reforms”. Please elaborate.

Comment by pundent Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:25 pm
===I say workers comp. and high taxes.===

You base this on what… exactly? Ugh.

If I have to choose the word of Bruce Rauner vs. Anyone… “Anyone” has a pretty good case against Rauner’s honesty, or lack there of.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:25 pm
Dandy Edwards, 18 months ago Illinois implemented the largest tax cut in the country, and the unemployment rate has since gone up.

Comment by Juice Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:27 pm
Someone has to ask Rauner: Name one company that you met with about coming to Bloomington? Did you cry when they said the plant looked like a crumbling prison?

Comment by 360 Degree TurnAround Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:30 pm
“if you don’t pass my union busting, wage reducing agenda, this state is going down! And I
I’ll make sure it does. @fakebrucerauner

Comment by kimocat Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:32 pm
==- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:30 pm:==

He can’t tell you, it’s a secret just like every other secret meeting he has with secret people on his secret calendars.

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:45 pm
There was a story a few weeks ago about the Mitsubishi plant on WCBU, the Peoria NPR station. They were talking to a guy representing a company that was interested in the building. His company buys up plants, looks to repurpose the building and equipment. If they are unable to do that, they auction everything and part it out. As I recall, the company has been around since the 30’s, is profitable and very private.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:46 pm
Perhaps they don’t want to move here because of the crumbling infrastructure that the governor has helped create through his turn around agenda.

I think some of those pot holes on 55 could swallow a whole semi. Indiana had us beat with their crummy roads, but we are catching up quickly.

Comment by A Jack Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:49 pm
We’d love to have you expand here, Caterpillar, Daimler Chrysler and John Deere. We can get you a facility for practically nothing, and you’re already doing business in Illinois!

Where could you POSSIBLY get a better deal than that?

ummmm…whaddya mean you can get the same deal in right to work states where the weather is better, the workers are more efficient and the costs of doing business are less? Indiana? Iowa? Ohio? Kentucky? Michigan? Wisconsin? …and you say they actually are able to agree to pass budgets to keep the state running and actually fund the pensions to which they agreed?

Sorry we asked….

Comment by Illinois Bob Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:50 pm
== Someone tell me what is driving this. I say workers comp. and high taxes. ==

I say it is the self-created chaos and uncertainty. Busineses can deal with high costs but they need a stable planning environment.

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:51 pm
How hard is it to say “It’s a great opportunity with a superior location and a skilled workforce. Workmans comp reform would save $2 -3 million a year for the next owner. That change could make the difference. “

Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:53 pm
Dandy Edward @ 2:22 ==I say workers comp. and high taxes. ==

How ignorant can you be? The Governor says its regulations, so it must be true. At least for today.

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 2:54 pm
The gov continues to be more interested in casuing harm then actually encouraging growth. I would note that IL business has faired far worse under Rauner then past administattions. we have the antibuisness gov in office

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:15 pm
” I say workers comp. and high taxes.”

Take five seconds to do a Google search. Illinois’ corporate tax rate decreased to a paltry 5.25 percent — the lower end of the scale for us and the states around us — in January 2015. Jeez!

http://www.revenue.state.il.us/Publications/Bulletins/2015/FY-2015-09.pdf

Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:18 pm
It is absolutely unbelievable to me that the Governor apparently believes that bad mouthing the state all the time somehow makes the situation better. What a guy. The Governor of the state constantly telling everyone how bad we are. I mean, who wouldn’t want to come here when the leader of the state is telling you it’s bad. Way to advocate for the state there Governor.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:20 pm
As some have asked, exactly what regulations?

Has the Governor, his agencies or his legislative allies proposed changes?

Worthless.

Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:30 pm
Curious, Ford plans a $1.1 billion expansion of two auto plants on the South Side.

That deal was brokered by the UAW.

Perhaps the governor should put the UAW in charge of getting that Mitsubishi site up and running.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20151110/NEWS05/151119985/ford-eyes-1-1-billion-investment-in-chicago-area-factories

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:43 pm
Rauner could tell perspective companies about the great educational institutions down the road. Oops, perhaps not after the damage he’s caused higher ed.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 3:58 pm
“Ford plans a $1.1 billion expansion of two auto plants on the South Side.”

Did they not get the memo about the regulations?

Comment by Nick Name Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:38 pm
How could someone become so wealthy with such weak communication skills? With his penchant for meaningless brevity and code words, Rauner could spare all of us much confusion by just saying nothing.

Comment by Vole Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 4:49 pm
Our governor is lying again.

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 5:11 pm
No,wait,I think in a roundabout way he says O’Grady is lying.

Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 5:12 pm
this guy Rauner is a special case. Does everything he can to badmouth the economy of the state he’s nominally in charge of. What a complete and utter disappointment.

Comment by Johnny Be Goodnight Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 7:17 pm
A real Rauner downer!

Comment by Chicago 20 Thursday, Jun 9, 16 @ 9:20 pm