Peoria Standard

Republican State Senate candidate Desi Anderson provided a statement to the Peoria Standard following Tyson Foods' decision to relocate from Illinois to Arkansas.

“Another day, another business deciding to leave Illinois due to high taxes and an unfriendly economic environment. Tyson Foods moving from the Chicago area to Arkansas is a prime example of how unaffordable Illinois is to run a business here. Taxes continue to increase as the Democrats remain in power in Illinois," Anderson said. 

"As a small business owner myself, I am no stranger to these economic restrictions. Career politicians like my opponent Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Canton) have voted to increase your taxes on several occasions - even during the pandemic. People cannot afford to do business here in Illinois, and the Democrat supermajority is who we have to blame. I will be a fierce advocate for keeping jobs here at home, and I will work to create a friendly economic climate that is pro-business and is against raising your taxes,” Anderson continued.

According to Reuters, Tyson's decision will move approximately 1,000 corporate employees from its Illinois and South Dakota locations to Arkansas. The company employs 120,000 people nationwide, with 114,000 working in production plants. The "phased relocation" is expected to begin in early 2023. Tyson stated that the move will promote better collaboration and decision-making skills, as the founding Tyson family and several top executives have strong ties to Arkansas.

Tyson's decision makes it the third Fortune 500 company to leave Illinois in 2022. Boeing moved its headquarters from Chicago to Virginia, and Caterpillar moved its headquarters from Deerfield, Illinois, to Texas. All three made it onto the Fortune 500 list of top 100 companies for 2022, with Tyson Foods at 81, Caterpillar at 73, and Boeing at 60. Reuters also reported that a spokesperson for Gov. J.B. Pritzker defended Tyson's move, stating that it's "making decisions based on its unique corporate needs" and has expansion plants in other parts of the state, such as a plant in Caseyville which will allegedly create 250 jobs.

Citadel, the $51 billion hedge fund founded by billionaire Ken Griffin, also left Illinois this year, according to Reuters. In June, Griffin announced that Citadel's headquarters would be moving to Miami and relocating approximately 1,000 employees. Those close to Griffin suggested that the move was partly motivated by Florida's business climate and tax incentives. Executives also expressed concerns regarding Illinois' crime rates, citing a company employee being stabbed a block from their office, an attempted carjacking of Griffin's vehicle, and protests occurring outside of Citadel's headquarters.

According to her campaign website, Desi Anderson is a small business owner, wife, and mother to a 1-year-old. Abandoned in the Eastern Bloc of communist Europe in Bulgaria as a baby, she eventually graduated from Indiana University with a double major degree. Anderson's election platform revolves around being a unifying voice in office and fighting Illinois' political corruption.

The 46th State Senate District includes Canton, East Peoria, Fairview, Lewistown, Mapleton, Peoria, Pekin and West Peoria.