Issues
February 13, 2012 JLabor, Education & Pensions
CAT CEO Doug Oberhelman writes in the Chicago Tribune why [img_assist|nid=26458|title=|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=300|height=300]Illinois is falling behind as a job center. His insight as the CEO of one of Illinois' flagship companies is very valuable and timely.
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For starters, Illinois needs to adopt a long-term sustainable state budget that relieves pressures on taxpayers. "
Read the whole editorial here.
February 07, 2012 JTechnology
Read this great article in National Review Online by AFP's VP of Policy Phil Kerpen. It's is[img_assist|nid=26400|title=R Grifffin NLRB|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=300|height=175] the politics of IL taken to the national stage:
On January 4, President Obama took the unprecedented step of declaring the Senate to be in recess although the Senate considered itself to be in session so that he could install several appointees in key positions at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
February 03, 2012 JHealthcare & entitlements
At his State of the State address on Wednesday, Gov. Quinn put forth a series of minor tax credits and investment (spending)[img_assist|nid=26350|title=IN Gov. Mitch Daniels|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=300|height=200][img_assist|nid=26351|title=IL Gov. Pat Quinn|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=300|height=225] ideas to get the state's economy moving. This is not the minor action Illinois' declining economy needs! llinois needs broad, transformative pro-growth change like Mitch Daniels has delivered in Indiana. Unfortunately, Gov. Quinn is beholden to special interests like labor union bosses and trial lawyers that prevent the realization of the type of pro-growth change Indiana has undertaken.
January 31, 2012 JBanking & Financial Services
The highly respected Chicago-based fiscal watchdog group, the Civic Federation, released a report yesterday detailing the dire state of Illinois' financial situation. The challenges facing Illinois are nothing short of frightening and monumental. Read the report here.
It is clearer than ever, Illinois needs real leadership from the Governor and General Assembly to tackle the state's massive spending problem and its unsustainable obligations in public pensions and Medicaid. Here at AFP-IL, we will keep the pressure on our leaders and demand pension, Medicaid and spending reform.
January 26, 2012 JLabor, Education & Pensions
Check out Illinois Policy Institute's report, "Wrong Way, Illinois" to see how Gov. Quinn's policies have caused the Land of Lincoln to fall behind on job growth.
From the report: "Almost a year after Illinois record income tax increase, the states unemployment woes contrast starkly with the slow but positive national economic recovery. Unemployment rates in 46 states dropped since January 2011, and some dramatically. Illinois unemployment rate, on the other hand, was 9.8 percent in December, up from 9 percent in January 2011. Simply put, Illinois placed more people on the unemployment rolls than any other state in the country."