Peoria Standard

Republican gubernatorial candidate and state Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) attributes the unemployment rate to tax increases and lockdowns. 

Peoria was reported to have a decline of nearly 7,500 jobs during Gov. J.B. Pritzker's term.

"There is an old adage, ‘Does it play in Peoria?’ Well, I don’t think losing 7,490 jobs in four years plays in Peoria or anywhere in Illinois for that matter," Bailey said. "This is the toll on our economy of tax and fee increases. In his first year in office, Gov. Pritzker raised 24 taxes and fees, including doubling the gas tax, making every Illinois family poorer. Then he locked down the state economy, putting thousands of Illinoisans out of jobs. These reckless policies have had a tremendous impact on our state. Just ask the people in Peoria who have seen their jobs and opportunities disappear under this administration. We deserve better."

The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate declines in the number of employed people across Illinois from January 2019 to June 2022. Peoria's rate decreased by 4.5% (from 168,268 to 160,778, a difference of 7,490). Kankakee had the largest decline in employment at 6.4% (from 52,830 to 49,431, a difference of 3,399) and Rockford comes in second with a 6.2% decline in employment numbers (from 158,466 to 148,575, a difference of 9,891). Decatur like Rockford, dropped by 6.2% (from 46,492 to 43,628, difference of 2,864), Danville's employment lowered by 5.3% (from 31,359 to 29,684, difference of 1,675), Carbondale-Marion's decreased by 2.9% (from 57,715 to 56,052, difference of 1,663), Davenport-Moline-Rock Island's decreased by 2.4% (from 186,409 to 181,871, difference of 4,538), Chicago-Naperville-Elgin's dropped by 1.7% (from 4,788,931 to 4,707,375, difference of 81,556), Springfield recorded a 1.5% employment drop (from 102,108 to 100,529, difference of 1,579), and Bloomington's dropped by 1.2% (from 92,184 to 91,105, difference of 1,079). Champaign-Urbana was the only area that had an increase in employment numbers but only by 0.2% (from 118,669 to 118,888, a difference of 219).

Pritzker has recently been under fire from Bailey for tightening laws on temporary employees like babysitters and caregivers. “The last thing we need in Illinois is more red tape, more rules and more regulations. If we want to grow our economy and be a leader for jobs and opportunities in the Midwest, we need to prioritize policies that will create jobs, not jeopardize the ones we have. Pritzker’s priorities are misguided. Silly bureaucratic rules won’t grow our economy. Families are wondering how to afford to gas up their cars and purchase basic household necessities and the focus of the Pritzker administration is making sure people fill out time sheets for their nannies? It is no wonder we are losing jobs and opportunities here in Illinois,” Bailey said, Prairie State Wire reported.

Corporate offices of many businesses located in Illinois have transferred outside of the state. The most successful manufacturer of aircraft in the world, Boeing, announced its withdrawal from the area at the beginning of May, according to NBC 5 Chicago. The massive aerospace company, which was founded in Washington, relocated to Chicago in 2001. Nearly 16,000 jobs, or more than 10% of the workforce of the company, were lost as a result of the pandemic.

Nearly two months ago, Caterpillar announced it would be moving its headquarters to Irving, Texas. Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Jim Umpleby said in a statement the move was for the best “strategic interest” of the company. In a statement, Caterpillar said the move only affects the 230 employees in its headquarters, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Citadel Securities noted its move to Miami from Chicago was based on security concerns. “The firms are having difficulty recruiting top talent from across the world to Chicago given the rising and senseless violence in the city,” said Zia Ahmed, a Citadel spokesman, told the New York Times, according to Chicago City Wire. “Talent wants to live in cities where they feel safe.”