Additionally, Senator Brady shared a report that ranks Illinois as one of
the most depressed fiscal states in the United States. A study from the
American Economic Development Institute shows Illinois is second-worst state
for businesses and hold a rank in their ranking system as the 49th worst out
of the 50 states.
That report documents, "The nonpartisan American Economic Development
Institute has released its yearly list of best and worst states in which to
do business, ranking Illinois as the 49th worst out of 50 states."
"The study examines 32 factors related to the states’ efforts to be
“pro-business,” considering issues such as tax rates, workers’ compensation,
and burden of litigation matters. Illinois scored dismally in many of these
areas, receiving a failing “grade” in matters such as the unemployment rate,
workers’ compensation, corporate tax index, property taxes and the state’s
regulatory and litigation environment."
"One notable area for improvement in the state of Illinois is the
“marketing/website response to new and existing employers” in which the
state received an “F.” Also concerning in a state known for its diverse
transportation infrastructure, Illinois received a “D” in this area."
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Oct/01/images/ads/current/richardson_lda_040113.png)
"Though sparsely populated states such as Utah, Wyoming, and Nebraska
register as the top three pro-business states, neighboring Indiana and
Missouri were ranked in the top ten by the study as the seventh and eighth,
respectively, most pro-business states. Indiana has been proactively
encouraging Illinois employers to “jump ship,” having launched an
advertising campaign specifically to lure businesses out of the Land of
Lincoln and into the Hoosier State." (Friday, September 26, 2014, American
Economic Development Institute)
Continuing with the Brady report, "Illinois has 900 separate financial
accounts in addition to its general fund. By comparison, Wisconsin has 60.
Sales tax revenue increased by $321 million in fiscal year 2014. In 2014,
Illinois will invest 79 cents per person in the Illinois Arts Council
Agency, making Illinois 21st in the nation in per capita arts spending."
Nothing against the Arts Council, but when a state like Illinois is
hemorrhaging money, in debt billions of dollars, paying bills owed for
services with about a year lag time, and the governor running for
re-election promising to raise taxes, one wonders if it is wise to continue
to spend money on the Arts when so many other things remain a priority.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Oct/01/images/ads/current/symphonyhalloween_LDA_092514.png)
[to top of second column] |
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2012/Sep/18/images/ads/current/demay_inv-lda081412.png) The gubernatorial race is in full swing now with the republican
opponent and the sitting governor nipping at each other's heels. The
interesting thing about the race is that everyone knows the democrat
is building up a deficit spending plan, calling for higher taxes and
promising to push the General Assembly to pass the higher tax he
wanted, but at the same time attacking the republican candidate for
his being "rich." Apparently, in Illinois for the democrats, it is a
sin to be wealthy; at least for a republican to be wealthy. The
republican candidate is a "billionaire" having been in private
business all his life. Keeping with the democrat party line from the
national perspective, the Governor and the Speaker of the House, who
has been in the seat for decades, think the best way to run a
campaign is to ignore the past record that has failed economically
in every aspect of economic measurement and criticize the fact the
opponent is wealthy; class envy seems to be the mantra of those who
have failed to raise the economic standards in the state and nation.
Even the public employee unions who have fought the current
democrat governor for having diminished the state retirees'
annuities by taking away their state-paid insurance had to run to
the Illinois Supreme Court to fight the Governor to have the law
retracted. The High Court found the politicians could not "diminish"
the annuity because it was contrary to the Illinois Constitution.
Never mind their having fought him tooth and toenail, they are now
backing him as the favorite, supporting him at every turn simply
because they are afraid of the republican who promises not to raise
taxes and eventually balance the Illinois budget. The current
incumbent is the successor to the previous Illinois governor who was
kicked out of the position due to corruption; he went to prison
while the current governor was his second in charge and moved into
the position to fill most of that term. Having been elected to his
own term four years ago, the governor is now trying to garner a
second term in his own right. With the state in shambles
economically with the lack of economic savvy, plus trashing the
Constitution, how is it possible for that kind of leadership to be
rewarded again by being re-elected?
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2014/Oct/01/images/ads/current/LINCOLN_theater_011411.png)
So, presumably the people in Illinois (perhaps only Chicago), plus
the public employee's unions would rather have the status-quo of
economic failure along with much higher taxes, business flight from
Illinois to other states and continued accumulation of debt, just to
avoid electing a person who has proven his ability to avoid being in
the red when it comes to business. When was it the democrats decided
it was better to live in debt than to elect someone with a proven
ability to build economic strength?
Illinois has been a "blue" state with the democrats in charge; but
because of the enormous debt their favorite color seems to be red.
Perhaps it might be better to elect a "blue-blood" candidate with
proven ability in business to make the state a "red" state, but at
the same time replace it with economic policies that will erase the
democrat red and change it to republican blue (or at least black on
the ledger).
[By JIM KILLEBREW]
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