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* Wow…
Illinois in 2011 is on pace to provide much more money in financial incentive programs to businesses to retain and add jobs, with the total through early May exceeding $230 million pledged to 27 companies.
To put this into perspective, that’s almost as much money as Quinn handed out all of last year, but to half as many companies ($236 million to 53 companies), and almost twice as much as he handed out in all of 2009 ($116 million to 47 companies).
Not all of that money will be spent this year, of course. Motorola Mobility’s $117 million (half of this year’s announced amount) is a ten-year dealio.
And over a quarter of that cash has not yet been disclosed…
The identities of 21 of the 27 companies receiving a total $53.1 million were not disclosed in a list provided to the Tribune on Tuesday by the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
The company names weren’t released because of nondisclosure agreements with the companies, because contracts have not been finalized or because employees had not been told of plans at the companies in question, department spokeswoman Marcelyn Love said in a statement.
* Meanwhile, in other business-related news, Greg Hinz followed up on a story I told subscribers about yesterday morning…
A breakthrough of sorts came when Illinois Chamber of Commerce chief Doug Whitley, as reported in Capitol Fax [yesterday] morning, said a deal “in principle” has been reached to cut medical costs but not to implement “causation” language that biz really, really wanted.
Another business leader, Illinois Manufacturers. Assn. chief Greg Baise, confirms that, if forthcoming language says what it’s supposed to say, “we would be supportive.”
The big difference between what reportedly has been agreed to now and what was proposed by Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration a few weeks ago is that the Democrats have agreed to require arbitrators to use American Medical Assn. guidelines to set the level of impairment.
But “causation” language that any injury must have been mostly caused at work is out.
* And slots at tracks are back in the news…
Arlington Heights officials have declared their support for a plan to add slot machines at the village’s horse track, and state legislators say they hope to resurrect the gambling expansion measure that would allow the new machines.
Breaking with past resistance, an informal conversation among trustees at Monday night’s Village Board meeting found the majority in favor of adding slots at Arlington Park.
A plan to add slots wouldn’t require the village’s approval, but state legislators asked the village for an opinion. Mayor Arlene Mulder said Monday night she would draft a letter summarizing the village trustees’ stances, which ranged from lukewarm to enthusiastic.
Park officials argue the slots are vital to the track’s survival, and Mulder said the village had to act to help “preserve the viability of thoroughbred racing in Illinois and in Arlington Heights.”
* But not all legislators were enthused or persuaded by the informal support…
And Rep. Fred Crespo, a Hoffman Estates Democrat, said he’s on the fence as well and called the board’s support “weak.”
“If anything, it sheds light on that it’s a very controversial issue,” Crespo said.
Whether the controversial issue even gets voted on in Springfield this year remains an open question.
Supporters of gambling expansion have taken preliminary steps to prepare for a vote in the final two weeks of lawmakers’ annual session in Springfield. But the last several attempts at expanding gambling in Illinois have fizzled under heavy and complex political pressures.
* Biz roundup…
* Automatic rate hikes zapped in IL energy bill: llinois power companies seeking money to modernize will have to do without a change that would have let them raise rates first and ask for state approval second, a key lawmaker said Tuesday.
* State’s top court hears arguments for scrapping $31B building plan
* Illinois high court hears argument on construction plan
* VIDEO: Wirtz v. Quinn Supreme Court hearing
* Patients’ Right to Know Act passes Assembly - Law would make criminal convictions, malpractice payments public
* Still getting thousands: Workers’ comp arbitrators remain on paid leave while probe goes on
* Tax auction bill passes in Illinois Senate; measure means ‘a clear record of a tax sale’
* Governor’s garage ready for electric vehicles
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 8:40 am
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Slots at tracks:
A no brainer. We have the lottery, casinos run largely by out of State interests, unsupervised and illegal poker machines in half our bars, and yet giving slots to the tracks and actually saving a real job producing industry is deemed controversial. Only in Illinois could illogical thought and greed overwhelm common sense.
Comment by downstate hack Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 9:01 am
It’s always nice to see the MSM credit Capitolfax.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 9:08 am
The AMA guidelines do not account for the job a person does. So, for instance, AMA guidelines say that a knee injury impairs someone with a desk job as much as a construction worker. This is obviously not the case, and materially unfair.
This has just been a pr campaign (successful at that) to take more money away from working people.
Don’t fool yourself and think it has anything to do with those security guards at Menard. No one wants fraud in the system, and no one is going to oppose measures to remove fraud from the system. Workers want it out as much as business owners because it can be used, as it was here, as an excuse to take rights away from those who are truly injured on th job.
Comment by chi Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 9:13 am
The DCEO business development staff have totally bought into their current giveaway approach to economic development and even though they realize they are being played for suckers by the Sears and Motorolas they don’t have the courage or imagination to try anything different.
Especially since the Governor’s Chief of Staff Lavin is the king of giveaways they wouldn’t be able to make changes anyway.
Comment by Truth Beware Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 9:19 am
–The company names weren’t released because of nondisclosure agreements with the companies,–
That can’t be kosher. If it’s a pledge of public funds to private interests, you have to release the names — right?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 9:53 am
Amen, Wordslinger. I’d also like to know the number of jobs that are being “saved or created” as a result of these deals, and the amount of estimated revenues the state will realize. It would also be interesting to look at Quinn’s campaign finance disclosure statement to see if anything pops out there.
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 10:15 am
“Illinois in 2011 is on pace to provide much more money in financial incentive programs to businesses to retain and add jobs, with the total through early May exceeding $230 million pledged to 27 companies.”
As long as none of them are the Chicago Cubs, I’m cool with it.
The Chicago Cubs deserve NOT A PENNY of state money.
Comment by Johnny USA Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 10:46 am
TOTALLY agree with downstate hack. People are at the tracks to gamble. Give them another option and help keep jobs in Illinois!
Comment by Because I say so Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 10:48 am
Oh, and I don’t have a problem with the state picking Arlington Heights as a winner, and Elgin and Aurora and Joliet as losers.
Comment by Johnny USA Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 10:49 am
Great story on NPR This American Life last friday on how ineffective economic development entities are. Should be available on their web page rest of this week.
Comment by D.P. Gumby Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 11:01 am
Say No to any money the Cub’s need. Have the folks in Iowa bail them out. Or have their left
fielder loan it to them.Go Sox
Comment by mokenavince Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 12:16 pm
The AMA guidelines were meant to be just that: Guidelines. Not a Bible.
Perhaps the AMA should do themselves a favor and stop publishing them?
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 1:12 pm
The imcrease in DCEO spending is a direct result of all of the chamber propaganda. Its a double shakedown.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 1:16 pm
The big business of shaking down the taxpayers in this and other States continues unabated. This corporate welfare is alleged to be necessary to keep business from moving across State lines. Why shouldn’t big business shake us down? Where else should your tax dollars go? So what if these companies are posting record profits with unemployment at 9%. This is America after all!
Comment by Rick Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 3:14 pm
@Gumby -
I actually support targeted incentive programs when they are done with adequate cost/benefit analysis that includes opportunity loss.
However, I suspect that in most cases we’d find that taxpayers would get the greatest return on their investment by raising high school graduation rates, treating drug addicts, combating child abuse, and building affordable housing.
One of the other things I’m also sure of is that while Mayor Emanuel believes we should never waste a crisis, Crisis Mentality usually leads to a panicky mob response that usually makes matters worse in the long run.
Take the invasion of Iraq, for example.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 4:02 pm
It seems odd that IL is willing to give tax breaks and incentives to large corps to keep them in-state but when the horsemen are dying and begging to stay in-state they are shown the door. They don’t even want any “incentives” they just want what other states have: slots at tracks. It seems that slots would generate money and not cost the state much of anything in the long haul.
Comment by Cam McAndrews Wednesday, May 18, 11 @ 4:12 pm
Slots at tracks will recycle an Illinois dollar rather than let it leave the state like the riverboat profits do now. It will help bolster the agricultural industry statewide. It will also provide additional revenue to our school systems. TIM TOWNE
Comment by Tim Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 2:19 pm