Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Bad business environment in Illinois forces company and 240 jobs to move to Indiana

Modern Forge, an auto parts manufacturer that has been based in Blue Island, Illinois for 97 years, is moving east to Indiana, taking 240 jobs with it. Its CEO, Greg Heim, explained why to CBS 2 Chicago:

"The environment in Illinois, I would say there was no — we did not see any change coming in Illinois." Heim said. "Illinois continues to stay on a path of not being – for us – a (pro-business) environment and the excitement and energy here in Indiana, that's very important to us."

The jobs will be headed to Merrillville, which is south of Gary.

Indiana's governor, Mitch Daniels, is ecstatic, calling it "a big thrill for us." The Republican told Channel 2 that "well over a dozen" firms have moved to the Hoosier State in the last few months.

Hmmm...what happed in the last few months? Well, Illinois' hapless Democratic governor, Pat Quinn, raised corporate income taxes by 46 percent and personal income taxes by 67 percent.

And there is more: "Well, I heard from the governor of Indiana. I never heard from the governor of Illinois," Modern Forge's CEO said.

Blue Island is just a few miles east of my hometown of Palos Heights. Its mayor, Don Peloquin, laments the departure. "They've been here for 97 years. Only a few business have been here longer," Peloquin told the Southtown Star. "They've sponsored Little League and Pony League teams and have been very active in the community, and they've been a core of the chamber of commerce. They've been a great corporate citizen."

And they will continue to be one. In Indiana.

In an email, Illinois state Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, whose district is near Blue Island by the way, reported today that "Illinois lost 24,900 jobs in July—more than any other state in the nation, according to a recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)."

Related posts:

Michigan trying to lure Sears from Illinois
Illinois: Motorola dupes Quinn; Sears thinks DC area relocation could be a capital idea
Another one: Citing Quinn's tax increase, CME may leave Illinois
IL comptroller: None of Quinn's "temporary" tax increase has gone to pay off old bills
Sears threatening to leave Illinois
Quinn tax may lead to Caterpillar to leave its Illinois cocoon
Quinn's "Amazon tax" costing Illinois jobs
Gov. Quinn Pro Quo: Pat Quinn's public-sector union cash, part four
IL treasurer Rutherford says Illinois on "verge of a financial disaster"

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