Manufacturer to shutter 2 Illinois plants, open $26M Indiana facility

By Vincent Caruso

09/19/2018

Accepting a deal that includes $6 million in subsidies, Wynright Corporation will expand its operations in Indiana and close plants in suburban Elk Grove and Oak Lawn.

TAGS: Indiana, Indiana Economic Development Corporation, jobs, manufacturing, outmigration, unemployment

One of Illinois’ top tax credit recipients to shutter 1,000-employee HQ

By Austin Berg

09/11/2018

Illinois issued more than $60 million in EDGE tax credits to Takeda Pharmaceuticals from 2003 to 2013, more than any other company received over that time.

TAGS: EDGE: Economic Development for a Growing Economy, jobs, tax credits, unemployment

Chicago-based MillerCoors shedding 350 jobs, despite $5.7M TIF subsidy

By Vincent Caruso

09/06/2018

MillerCoors opened its Chicago headquarters in 2010. Eight years and nearly $6 million in subsidies later, the beer giant has been hammered by a heavy round of layoffs.

TAGS: Chicago, jobs, property taxes, taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing, unemployment

Rest of the nation sees 31 percent faster jobs growth vs. Illinois in 2018

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

08/17/2018

Illinois experienced its sixth consecutive month of jobs growth in July, yet continues to trail the pace of growth in the rest of the nation for 2018.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, income tax, jobs, manufacturing, progressive income tax, taxes, unemployment

Illinois jobs growth spikes in June, double the growth of the rest of the U.S.

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

07/20/2018

Illinois added 18,100 new jobs in June, the highest monthly increase since summer 2017, but the Prairie State still lags behind the rest of the nation for the post-recession period.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, credit rating, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, income tax, jobs, spending cap, taxes, unemployment

Chicago minimum wage rises to $12 per hour

By Eddie Damstra

07/01/2018

The city has seen a 45 percent increase in its minimum wage since 2015.

TAGS: Chicago, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment

Prime working-age Illinoisans leading the state’s population decline

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Suman Chattopadhyay

06/21/2018

The current and future workforce is shrinking in Illinois, but growing across the U.S. Making the Prairie State more attractive for families seeking to work and invest is key to fixing this problem.

TAGS: millennials, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau, unemployment

Illinois sees fourth straight month of jobs growth in May

By Bryce Hill

06/19/2018

Illinois’ jobs situation improved in May, but the state needs long-term solutions such as a spending cap to get on a path to fiscal health and assure investors more tax hikes are not on the horizon.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, unemployment

Shrinking communities bode ill for Illinois’ economy

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

05/30/2018

More than three-quarters Illinois communities lost population over the year, and nearly all of the state’s major metro areas are lagging the nation on key economic indicators.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, employment, income tax, labor force participation rate, outmigration, personal income, population, progressive income tax, spending cap, taxes, U.S. Census Bureau, unemployment

Illinois metro areas add 3,300 jobs in April

By Bryce Hill

05/30/2018

New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show eight of Illinois’ 13 metro areas gained jobs over the month.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment, jobs, unemployment