Commentary: Scott Reeder - Backtracking on boundary-bending promises
Scott Reeder
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Politicians lie to get elected.
That’s hardly startling. And in a state like Illinois, with its long and sordid history of corruption, that observation is about as newsworthy as “the pyramids are old and big.”
Still, one can’t help but be disappointed when politicians back away from their word.
A case in point is Gov. J.B. Pritzker who ran for office on a platform of reforming the state’s redistricting process.
During the last gubernatorial election, Springfield reporter Rich Miller surveyed every candidate seeking their party’s respective nomination.
(The Center Square) – Government officials, business leaders and policy experts convened Wednesday for Business Day 2021.
The virtual event was hosted by the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and the Illinois Manufacturers Association and allowed for discussions on issues affecting jobs and economic growth in Illinois.
“It is simply a way to keep them informed of what is going on, and still give them the opportunity to hear from their elected officials and with the discussions, hear about what is going on with some of the major issues,” said Rob Karr, president and CEO of IRMA.
One topic of discussion is Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to close $932 million of what he called “corporate tax loopholes” to help the state balance its budget, just as cities and states gear up to attract jobs and strengthen the economy ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Republicans have said the tax incentives are an important tool for attracting and retaining businesses.
Originally published on May 5, 2021 11:51 pm
Illinois’ economy was humming along last winter, a few years removed from the state’s two-year budget impasse in which Illinois’ unpaid bill backlog climbed to nearly $17 billion, and finally experiencing the kind of growth that had eluded the state for years after the Great Recession.
But then COVID-19 hit. Gov. JB Pritzker ordered bars and restaurants closed a few days after the World Health Organization declared the virus a global pandemic, and then a broader stay-at-home order from the governor a week later shuttered dozens of other types of businesses throughout the state.
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