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* Gov. Rauner was on the Roe Conn show the other day and talked about how the state needs to “invest in the technology and information sector.” He wants us to be more like California, Massachusetts and other giant tech hubs. He rightly pointed out that “the driver of that sector is the university systems,” and Roe asked what was holding Illinois back. After talking a bit about state regulations, Rauner launched into this soliloquy….
Rauner: The tragedy for us in Illinois is, the University of Illinois is here, one of the great research universities in the world. Their students have started some of the greatest companies in the world. Oracle, PayPal, Tesla Motors, iTunes. It’s stunning. None of them are in Illinois. There’s several reasons, but part of the reason is, Champaign-Urbana is wonderful, but it’s very hard to keep a company of more than six people there. There’s no convenient transportation, not much of a workforce. It’s very hard. We can start some companies there, but what we need to do is help the University of Illinois expand in Chicago, expand in Rockford and Peoria that have large economic systems and great companies already.
Conn: Airports and rail and all that.
Rauner: Exactly. And a diverse, large workforce. And then use their technology innovation and ability, get their students integrated in the local economy and we can boom.
* WCIA’s Mark Maxwell was not amused…
.@BruceRauner just can't help but bash Illinois - @WCIA3Mark reports: pic.twitter.com/x3ETMomJbG
— S Salustro (@ssalustro) June 26, 2018
* More react…
I have watched Gov. Rauner’s contempt for Downstate the last 3 yrs as he wears different costumes & his speech changes when he leaves Chicago. But his disdain was in full display on WGN.
Leaders bring people together, they don’t tear others down. https://t.co/qD3W6TkKXj
— Michael W. Frerichs (@ILTreasurer) June 26, 2018
* Rep. Carol Ammons lauched on the governor…
I’m not going to stand by as @BruceRauner attacks Champaign-Urbana.
Here are the facts, Governor. Please read them before you speak ill of my home again. https://t.co/rDDsALCX9T
— Carol Ammons (@CarolAmmons4IL) June 25, 2018
Read the rest here.
* But is he right? Maybe not on some of the specifics (and negatively comparing Champaign to Rockford and Peoria ain’t gonna go over well), but he’s certainly right that we have trouble keeping these genius tech gurus in Champaign. Yes, there are some exceptions. And, yes, much of the reason was that until recently Illinois didn’t have the same sort of startup-funding infrastructure as Silicon Valley.
But there’s no denying that nurturing the tech boom in Chicago means UIUC needs to have a city presence.
He shoulda just stuck with that instead of bashing Champaign. “Not much of a workforce”? Sheesh, man.
*** UPDATE *** You’ll recall that Pritzker has a new TV ad criticizing Rauner for constantly bad-mouthing Illinois…
“Bruce Rauner is Illinois’ bad-mouther-in-chief and communities across our state are fed up and fighting back,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This governor railed against Champaign-Urbana, belittling their workers, disregarding their transportation system, and leaving local leaders to defend their communities from baseless attacks.”
…Adding… Erika Harold kinda responds…
As someone who was born and raised in Champaign-Urbana and is a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I could not be prouder of our educational institutions, workforce and vibrantly diverse community. We should be doing more to invest in infrastructure and economic opportunities for all Illinoisans, and that is why I am running for Attorney General - to ensure all of our communities are well represented.
…Adding… Sen. Kwame Raoul…
While discussing Champaign-Urbana on a Chicago radio station last week, Bruce Rauner told a Chicago radio station, “it’s very hard to keep the company of more than six people there. There’s no convenient transportation, not much a workforce. It’s very hard.”
Democratic candidate for Attorney General Kwame Raoul responded:
“Whether it’s Donald Trump calling my ancestors’ home of Haiti a ’shithole,’ or Bruce Rauner badmouthing his own state, it is long past time for our leaders to stop tearing people down.
Champaign-Urbana is one of the most important regions in our great state, and the people who call it home don’t deserve to be insulted. I’m proud of where I come from, and if someone attacks any of Illinois’ vibrant communities, voters can count on me to stand up and fight back.”
Rauner’s handpicked candidate for Attorney General, Republican Erika Harold, was born and raised in Champaign-Urbana and attended the University of Illinois. Her response failed to mention the Governor’s harsh words for her hometown.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:08 am
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Why did ADM move corporate from Decatur to Chicago?
Is that the similar argument Rauner wants to make?
Is it an accident that Rauner wants UIUC brain power, but in a Chicago setting?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:11 am
Every time I listen to Rauner I feel as I am watching another version of Clueless.
Comment by Barrington Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:15 am
I posted this yesterday about debate predictions.
…Even if very few watch, but one of them says something beyond the pale, it will make news and could sink their chances. …
This unforced error by Gov Junk is just such an example.
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:16 am
Rauner’s new slogan,
“Tearing Down Illinois For You”
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:18 am
Wow. Just wow. Rauner missed a brilliant opportunity to tout the Discovery Partner Institute coming to fruition under his watch. Champaign county is one of the few (sole?) engines of economic and population growth in Illinois outside of Chicago-land. There is room for improvement of course, and a forward-thinking governor would have a real sense of what might be needed in terms of infrastructure and investment to make that happen. Instead, he spent 2 years divesting in higher ed because he wanted to break organized labor. He has no record to run on, so its smear, smear, smear until November. I want to think the citizens of Illinois are smarter than this. At least they are in C-U where I live. This community and university is thriving IN SPITE of Rauner’s failed leadership.
Comment by Dr. M Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:18 am
I can’t believe he said straight-faced that the drivers of innovation are, “the university systems,” after he has starved Illinois universities for the entire time he has been in office.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:18 am
When your actual positions and personality are so out of touch with 95% of the state, the various masks you wear to make people like you are bound to slip.
Took off the Harley jacket and forgot insulting Downstate is a no-no: you’re only supposed to degrade the residents of your biggest and most productive city, Chicago.
Truth is, a billionaire fiscal conservative with squishy moderate social positions is pretty much the least popular type of person in America right now. Pretend to be everything but that gets exhausting, I imagine.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:18 am
Reelect Governor Kevorkian because there’s still signs of life in Illinois.
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:19 am
My sympathy begins and ends as Raunerites outside Cook and the Collars in the GA say zero when Rauner bad mouths downstate Illinois universities, the economic engines for the regions, and as these Raunerites sat silent, the 99th GA Raunerites helped Rauner starve Illinois universities, purposely, because reforming Illinois was more important than a short term budget stalemate… lasting the entire 99th General Assembly.
Meh.
Raunerites are cheering.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:21 am
–Their students have started some of the greatest companies in the world. Oracle, PayPal, Tesla Motors, iTunes. –
Larry Ellison went to U of I and U of C, but Tesla and PayPal are Elon Musk. No mention of any Illinois connection in his online bios. He went to Penn, Stanford and Queens U Ontario.
Could it be that Rauner is just making things up? Would he do that?
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:27 am
==Truth is, a billionaire fiscal conservative with squishy moderate social positions is pretty much the least popular type of person in America right now. Pretend to be everything but that gets exhausting, I imagine.==
Truth is, that’s what Rauner pretended to be, but immediately after innauguration showed us that he isn’t any of those things.
Rauner isn’t just a failure - he’s also a certifiable fraud, right?
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:29 am
==Rauner’s new slogan,
“Tearing Down Illinois For You”==
VM, you are putting words in the Guv’s mouth.
I like the following better as a campaign slogan, and it came straight out of the Guv’s mouth during that interview:
“We can boom”
Comment by Henry Francis Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:31 am
Is it possible he just doesn’t want to be governor anymore? Sometimes I think that’s the only explanation.
Comment by Albany Park Patriot Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:33 am
Rauner starves the public universities for two years but when he makes half hearted comments about how great Illinois universities are, he only mentions U of I, Northwestern and U of Chicago. I guess the rest are not high brow enough for Bruce.
Comment by Because I said so.... Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:34 am
Musk didn’t start Tesla. He bought in soon after it was founded by UIUC alum Martin Eberhard.
Paypal was founded by Musk, along with UIUC alums Max Levchin and Luke Nosek.
Comment by left in the middle Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:34 am
==Rauner Badly Stumbles…==
Rauner does everything badly.
He also personifies the word “stumble”.
So he’s got that going for him…
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:35 am
http://www.businessinsider.com/uiuc-amazing-tech-visionaries-who-went-to-school-there-2014-12
Note Max Levchin — who along with P. Thiel and Musk cofounded PayPal. So Rauner’s right — there is an Illinois connection.
Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:36 am
Wordslinger, here’s the Paypal-UIUC connection:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Levchin
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luke_Nosek
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:37 am
===Truth is, a billionaire fiscal conservative…===
If only Rauner were a fiscal conservative. He’s not.
Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:37 am
I’d say this meets the Michael Kinsley definition of a political gaffe:
“A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth – some obvious truth he isn’t supposed to say.”
Though, the Rockford and Peoria references are odd. Almost like he know he had to do some quick damage control by throwing downstate some love before he finished his thought.
Comment by Roman Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:38 am
I’m sure that Tim Schneider will make it all better.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 11:49 am
2017 Top 25 Employers – Champaign County, Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 13,857
Carle 6,386
Champaign Unit 4 School District 1,624
Kraft Heinz 1,025
Champaign County 923
Christie Clinic 911
Urbana School District #116 830
Presence Health 803
Plastipak 780
Parkland College 707
FedEx 681
City of Champaign 535
SuperValu 515
Rantoul Foods 511
Busey 507
Vista Outdoor 440
Flex-N-Gate 426
JELD-WEN, Inc. 425
Hobbico, Inc. 415
Amdocs 412
Mahomet-Seymour School District #3 408
Champaign Park District 400
Wolfram 362
Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District 345
Horizon Hobby 341
What does the Governor have wrong here? I don’t see any tech companies or many jobs that aren’t in Health care or education.
http://champaigncountyedc.org/area-facts/directories-reports
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:07 pm
Thanks to all for the info.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:12 pm
Surprised GovJunk did tout U of I/Bailey as his solution. IBHE Honcho Tom Cross missed same op Sunday.
Meanwhile the Champaign region includes a Flex N Gate headed by a UofI grad(guy also owns Jacksonville football) Big auto parts supplier
We think ADM moved cause the new CEO bought a Lake Shore Drive condo and did not want to commute.
This is just latest phase of the GovJunk exit interview.
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:16 pm
Hmmm…I’d argue that C-U has hands-down the best public transportation service for a town of its size in Illinois and most anywhere in the US, especially in the campus area. Plus 3 Amtrak trains a day, interstate links to Chicago, B-N and Peoria and Indianapolis, and whatever you can find out of Willard Airport. Lots of smart people in the workforce there too.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:20 pm
And to top it off, the U of I already has a presence in Chicago (UIC) and in Peoria (U of I college of medicine Peoria) and Rockford (U of I college of medicine Rockford), which he should know if he were paying attention at all. What a loser of a governor.
Comment by Fairycat Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:21 pm
If he stopped at “None of them are in Illinois.”, he has a point and a theme. By continuing one he bashed one of the areas downstate of growth and low unemployment and then talked about they needed to be in Peoria of all places like Peoria is a much better area than C-U. Opportunity missed again by going off script by Rauner.
Comment by OurMagician Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:26 pm
=I don’t see any tech companies or many jobs that aren’t in Health care or education.=
I’d say Hobbico, Wolfram, and Horizon Hobby certainly qualify as tech.
Plus you could look at any number of the companies at Research Park, full list at http://uiucresearchpark.force.com/tenants
Comment by m Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:32 pm
iTunes? Is there some connection between the original developers of SoundJam and UIUC?
Comment by LXB Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:35 pm
LP - Where in his word jumble to Bruce Rauner limit his “analysis” to high-tech?
=Champaign-Urbana is wonderful, but it’s very hard to keep a company of more than six people there.=
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:36 pm
=What does the Governor have wrong here? I don’t see any tech companies or many jobs that aren’t in Health care or education.=
Should probably add Deep Silver Volition, a major game developer (Saints Row series, among others).
The issue isn’t having a company with more than 6 employees. It’s when you get big enough like a Cat or an ADM, where you’re hiring members of the CEO class who don’t want to live in CU, Peoria, or Decatur, because they feel it’s beneath them.
CU is doing great with tech startups, pound for pound, doing better than Chicago.
Comment by m Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:39 pm
===certainly qualify as tech===
Same with the hospitals, frankly. They’re major tech centers.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:40 pm
Hospitals and health care are increasing more high tech, leading with cutting edge research and end user type services to patients in hospitals.
All “we” hear is about engineers, high tech, and cutting edge… go visit a hospital, the health community too is learning how to work high tech to be better serving patients.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:43 pm
Rich - Rauner has no valid point. Elite “businessmen” like Rauner always complain they are given nothing to work with. In fact, what they want is a lay-up environment where anyone could mint money. Typical attitude of someone who makes money essentially through financial arbitrage. I’m a small business owner/founder myself, and can tell you my favorite place to set up shop is in or near a town with a great university, like Chambana.
Comment by DarkHorse Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:48 pm
I can only imagine how he feels about Carbondale
Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:48 pm
==What does the Governor have wrong here? ==
Oh, I don’t know. Attempting to make a point by bashing the town.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:49 pm
Further to make a finer point… to bring that also back to the “simple”
It’s not just doctors and nurses, the technicians, and those servicing the equipment and software to run equipment, including the technology to do procedures… talk to those in medical devices. The days of prosthetics being simple… look at the technology there as well. It’s beyond just a doctor a nurse and a billing department, things we see and may forget how cutting edge the medical industry is.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:49 pm
===What does the Governor have wrong here?===
lolol
You cannot possibly be a human being.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:51 pm
===We think ADM moved cause the new CEO bought a Lake Shore Drive condo and did not want to commute.===
Thus, my point… exactly.
Rauner sees things as CEOs and their creature comforts, not how these downstate towns are, and how great they are, including our state universities and the towns they’re located.
Rauner doesn’t care to learn about these other towns, as Rauner can care less about Illinois’ universities too.
That’s my point in this… Rauner thinks to his own elitist ideals, not the great things Illinois towns outside Chicago are.
Very telling.
Very telling, because… he’s our governor, supposedly wanting good for our state, not a CEO looking to accommodate people buying penthouses on Lake Shore Drive.
I’m sure Raunerites downstate disagree with that.
Their silence is deafening.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:57 pm
And Horizon has absorbed/bought the assets of Hobbico. And my nephew at Horizon got a promotion in the process.
He and many other U of I graduates in both companies. And yes, it is a tech company.
Comment by illini Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 12:58 pm
The problem is that while “There’s no convenient transportation, not much of a workforce” may or may not be true (it’s apparently not, but whatever), his proposed solution to that is to take what’s good in C-U and start moving it to Chicago, instead of developing transit and a workforce there.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:08 pm
Still doesn’t matter, he’ll get plenty of votes from the area - Illinois republicans don’t care if Rauner insults areas south of I-80. More concerned about JB’s toilets.
Also, notice Chapin Rose is nowhere to be seen in the Maxwell piece? Maybe Mark can get the Senator to comment on Bruce’s sour view of Champaign at the next Rauner campaign stop in the area:
“Senator, you’re supporting Gov Rauner for re-election. Do you agree with him that Peoria and Rockford are better than Champaign?”
Comment by Lester Holt’s Mustache Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:10 pm
===Maybe Mark can get the Senator (Rose) to comment on Bruce’s sour view of Champaign at the next Rauner campaign stop in the area===
Let’s remember Mr. Rose, as a member of the 99th General Assembly made clear that supporting higher education was not a priority, but what was a priority was taking steps to reform Illinois which was more important than a short term budget stalemate… hurting university towns, let alone universities.
Meh.
Downstate Raunerites need Rauner.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:14 pm
@Willy - And Rose is a graduate of UIUC. Go figure.
Comment by illini Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:18 pm
===Rose is a graduate of UIUC===
It’s comical, Mr. Rose’s “concern” now that exists for higher ed and UIUC.
Had no problem ensuring full year fiscal funding never was found for a whole General Assembly.
Mr. Barickman touts how he teaches at ISU, that’s more embarrassing.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:21 pm
To the update. If this is the best response team Pritzker can combat the toilet with, I may have to lower my prediction to 8%.
Comment by BlueDogDem Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:32 pm
I wonder if Rauner is the first governor ever, anywhere, to say “not much of a workforce” about citizens in his state.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:39 pm
There isn’t a real person who can pretend there Is not a huge difference between the tech workforce at Google, Facebook, Netflix, Apple, Amazon, Oracle, Microsoft, Tesla, Pay Pal, I Tunes etc as well as in the start up tech companies in Chicago and other major cities with the Tech workforce who stay in Champaign Urbana after graduation.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:40 pm
Willy ADM moved their senior executives to Chicago in 2013-
I hate to let the facts get in the way of a good Rauner bashing
Pat Quinn failed
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:48 pm
LP, you really need that reboot.
In that list you posted, do you see any private sector businesses with “more than six people?”
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:55 pm
This should be a softball for Rauner — an opportunity to talk about combining C-U’s brain power with Chicago’s economic vitality. A “rising tide lifts all the boats” kinda thing.
But it’s just not natural for him to think and talk that way. Rauner blames, Rauner attacks, Rauner destroys — that’s just who he is.
Comment by Telly Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:56 pm
===Pat Quinn failed===
If you believe that, then Rauner failed.
===ADM moved their senior executives to Chicago in 2013-
I hate to let the facts get in the way of a good Rauner bashing===
Context… Rauner believes that’s ok.
Keep up.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 1:57 pm
Lucky Pierre
I find it comical your conservative stances now using liberal cities like San Francisco, Chicago, Boston as major economic centers for the American economy. So you are telling me it is better to have all tech startups located in Crook County where taxes are through the roof? What changed your mind? Shouldn’t these be located in Indiana and Alabama, low tax states?
In regards to your comments not all tech jobs are based in Chicago or cities for specific reasons. Some might relate to agriculture, logistics, etc. It it not a one size fits all. And Champaign has satellite office in their Research Park with some of these companies you mentioned. I think it is smart Rauner wants Chicago to have a presence but it’s comical because as OW said he’s looking through this as a CEO not to help workforce.
Comment by Almost the Weekend Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 2:00 pm
Sheer ignorance. CU has one of the best public transit systems in the nation for a community its size and is served by bus, rail and commercial air. People “vote with their feet” and no Downstate community including Peoria with which comparison was implied has experienced more population growth and high rise development since 2010 (contiguous CU/Savoy having roughly 140K residents and 2017 metro area estimate of 239K). CU’s growth as well as that experienced in Bloomington-Normal despite Rauner’s attacks on higher ed.
Comment by kitty Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 2:02 pm
45% of the Champaign-Urbana workforce have an advanced degree. Not much of a workforce?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 2:07 pm
“45% of the Champaign-Urbana workforce have an advanced degree. Not much of a workforce?” It isn’t when you want to pay them $5/hr.
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 2:38 pm
Maybe Rauner shoulda ran for Mayor of Chicago?
Poaching from downstate would make more sense, amirite?
Exactly right.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 3:49 pm
* Note: I know Rauner is not a resident of Chicago… unless he’s clouting another child into Payton Prep, then he’s a Chicago residence.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 3:50 pm
My colleagues at Wolfram and I just celebrated the 30th anniversary of Mathematica this past weekend. It sure seemed like there were several hundred people at the picnic but maybe I was just delirious. We’re not a huge company, but we do some pretty cool stuff. Apple uses Wolfram|Alpha as a source of answers for Siri and Alpha has become very popular for students in math and the hard sciences. The step-by-step breakdowns of how to solve various problems in our Pro version are killer. I like living in C-U and don’t understand where the percentage is in running us down.
http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=Illinois
Comment by Michael Feltes Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 4:43 pm
“45% of the Champaign-Urbana workforce have an advanced degree. Not much of a workforce?”
Poets, philosophers, and sociologists don’t count.
Comment by CapnCrunch Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 4:49 pm
As a Champaign native, I’m offended by the remark because it’s so off-base.
Also in the pipeline-the new $100 Carle-Illinois School of Medicine, that will bring an engineering approach to the study of medicine, a $40 million upgrade to probably the best mass transit system in downstate, and new buildings in the Research Park. Who else even has a Research Park?
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 6:23 pm
Illinois would benefit from C-U becoming substantially larger, building upon the strengths of the U of I. Area legislators have not accomplished much in this regard.
Comment by east central Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 6:46 pm
And only the Luckybot would think it appropriate to compare Silcon Valley or Seattle to a city(ies) of 100,000 located in the middle of the prairie. How big is the tech scene in Jeff City? Cedar Rapids? Lincoln? Frankfort? Duluth?
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 6:49 pm
Hey Art,
I did not compare Champaign to Boston, San Francisco or Chicago.
I did compare it on the other thread to Huntsville Alabama, which is also a University town and happens to be the fastest growing tech job market in America
https://www.cbsnews.com/media/americas-top-10-tech-cities-arent-on-the-coasts/7/
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 8:21 pm
Interestingly (at least to me), at about the 3:45 mark Governor Rauner says, “Frankly, we don’t need Speaker Madigan to be gone.” His rhetoric over the past four years sure had me fooled.
Comment by 47Chief Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 8:50 pm
CapnCrunch–
““45% of the Champaign-Urbana workforce have an advanced degree. Not much of a workforce?”
Poets, philosophers, and sociologists don’t count.”
I’ll put my U of I Engineering Degree and Mensa card up against yours any day.
Comment by Ivesdale Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 8:52 pm
Anon, your ref is a limited snapshot but I get your point. Champaign should have tech job market that is growing more rapidly. Engineering at UIUC ranks up there with MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, and Cal Tech. UIUC is an extraordinary resource. But you lose faculty and opportunity when you starve the university for operating funds and fail to make capital investments.
Comment by east central Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 8:53 pm
The Luckybot 8000 is no better than its predecessor. Forgets to put in his name every other post. Reboot.
My numbers are all absolute, not percentage increases, (30 is a 200 percent increase over 10-wow) and are private sector, not government jobs, upon which Huntsville is highly dependent.
Rauner apologized, why don’t you?
Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jun 26, 18 @ 10:21 pm
Just read this, “Champaign area officials met with Rauner in Washington, D.C. where they said he apologized for his comments. In a phone interview with WCIA-TV in Champaign, Rauner said, “I felt bad. I used some wrong words and my statements got taken out of context.” (Rick Pearson)”
Comment by LINK Wednesday, Jun 27, 18 @ 8:43 am
–“I felt bad. I used some wrong words and my statements got taken out of context.” (Rick Pearson)”–
Flop sweat.
It’s an extended quote on tape.
But what was the non-nasty “context” for “not much of a workforce.”
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 27, 18 @ 8:46 am