 Quinn traveled to Moline, Rochelle and Chicago this week announcing
state projects and new jobs. The money for the new projects is from
Illinois' $30 billion statewide construction plan that lawmakers
approved back in 2009. The jobs from the new project appear to be
scattered across the state and across the calendar.On Wednesday
the governor announced the release of $270 million to 18 school
districts around the state for the new construction. Quinn said the
projects would "be creating 3,700 new construction jobs to area
residents."
But many of those 18 districts said they started work on their
projects months ago, and some are nearing completion.
Illinois latest jobless report shows a jump in construction jobs
but not nearly the number of jobs Quinn touted this week.
September's job numbers show 700 new construction jobs were
created last month.
Annie Thompson with the governor’s office said the new jobs are
not included in the September jobless report and said she doesn't
know if they will be included in the October report.
No one seems to know if the numbers by the governor's count are
new jobs, old jobs or current jobs.
Beth Spencer, communications director from Illinois AFL-CIO, said
it doesn't matter if the jobs were created or will be created. The
important part is that people are going back to work.
"Part of the beauty of being a sitting governor is it's your
prerogative to make these announcements, and it's his pleasure and
his prerogative. We're just excited that it's happening," Spencer
said.
In the manufacturing sector, Quinn announced 250 new jobs at a
new rail car manufacturing facility being built in Rochelle.
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Greg Baise, president of Illinois Manufacturing Association, said
the timing of the job creation claims is not surprising.
"It's not unusual for governors to make claims like that,
especially 12 days before a gubernatorial election," Baise said. "So
I guess we give governors a little latitude with these kinds of
things."
Greg Rivara, spokesman for the IDES, said there is real
improvement in Illinois.
"(The state) added 8,600 jobs in the month of September, and for
the year so far Illinois has added 50,700," Rivara said. "So we've
had some positive economic job growth in the state. At the same time
the unemployment rate has gone down. The unemployment rate fell for
the sixth straight month to reach 9.9 percent."
In September, 11,800 people did lose their jobs, but Rivara said
that was offset by 20,900 people finding jobs in September.
Illinois' unemployment rate is still slightly higher than the
national rate, which is sitting at 9.6 percent. Thompson, with the
governor's office, is quick to say that Illinois has added over
50,000 new jobs over the past six months.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By JENNIFER WESSNER]
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