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"People are afraid,"
Blagojevich said. "They've either lost their job, they know someone
who has lost their job, or they're worried about losing their job.
Even worse, they fear for their future. And that's exactly what
America isn't supposed to be about. When you hear economists and
experts talk, they say there's not much that governors can do. They
say this is a job for Washington. They say it's all a product of
global forces, of federal monetary policy, of international trade
agreements -- the IMF, the Federal Reserve, the World Bank. They say
we just have to wait out the cycles of the economy, that there's
nothing we can do. I disagree."
"We can't keep waiting for the
economy to just turn around. We can't keep waiting for Washington to
act, for the market to recover, for monetary policy or trade policy
to change, for forces bigger than us to fix the problem. I chose
Rockford as the first place to launch our plan to create new jobs
and get this economy moving again. The plan I'm about to announce
may not change global economic forces. It may not bring every
factory back. But it can make this region more accessible, more
marketable and more attractive to employers. It's about time we try
to do something," Blagojevich continued.
Opportunity Returns includes
six specific areas where jobs can be created: manufacturing,
entrepreneurship, education and work force preparedness, access to
capital, infrastructure and connectivity, and energy.
The Rock River Valley includes
Boone, Ogle, Stephenson and Winnebago counties. The region has many
strengths, including manufacturing and technology, but has suffered
from the economic downturn of the past decade.
Illinois is filled with
talented, hardworking people who simply want an opportunity to make
an honest living, provide for their families, create economic
security and build a better future.
Since 1998, the United States
has lost 2.4 million manufacturing jobs -- a 14 percent drop in
factory employment. In Illinois, 60,000 manufacturing jobs were
lost, and Rock River Valley saw 10,000 manufacturing jobs leave the
region in just the past two years.
The governor announced several
major initiatives to counter job loss and spur economic development
in the Rock River Valley, including:
--The creation of a $25 million
revolving loan fund to help manufacturing companies retool and
upgrade their equipment.
--A Manufacturing Excellence
Initiative that pledges $1.6 million dollars, to be matched by
federal funds, to help develop the Rockford Applied Manufacturing
Research and Technology Center.
[to top of second column in
this article] |
--A $1.2 million program to
expand business, engineering and computer science programs in
partnership with Northern Illinois University at Rock Valley
College. The governor also will implement a $250,000 initiative to
expand career development opportunities in science and technology in
the region's middle and high schools.
--The expansion of the "Buy
Illinois" program to target more in-state buying to boost the
Illinois economy by hundreds of millions of dollars.
--More than $39 million to
widen Illinois Route 173 from two lanes to four lanes and connect it
to both Interstate 90 and Illinois Route 251.
--The creation of a "critical
skills shortage" initiative that accesses $18 million in federal
money to help make sure employers have access to the skilled workers
they need. The state will provide businesses another $12 million in
training grants to help them provide training for their employees.
--Getting rid of the Cherry
Valley tolls in order for the region to become a premier
transportation hub.
--The allocation of $50 million
to widen the main sections of Illinois Route 2 in downtown Rockford
so it can be opened up to freight access.
--An initiative to bring
broadband to every part of the state.
--Developing the Rock River
Valley Entrepreneurship Center to coordinate small-business services
and programs available throughout the region.
--A manufacturing initiative
called the Manufacturers Energy Efficiency Program to help
manufacturers with rising energy costs.
--Workshops, vendor fairs and
one-on-one training in order for small and medium-sized businesses
here in Illinois to learn how to sell their products to state and
federal agencies.
--New access to $4 million in
community loan funds that have been tied up by overly restrictive
guidelines.
--Working with local banks to
make it easier for businesses to establish lines of credit so they
can serve new customers, fill new orders and expand their
operations.
"Opportunity Returns reflects my belief that we can make things
better," said Gov. Blagojevich. "We will work day and night to put
people back to work, to create opportunity and economic security --
and when we do, we will make the great dream of building a better
life as real and vibrant and alive as it was meant to be."
[Illinois
Government News Network
news release] |
