Dold: Illinois needs non-partisan, business-friendly approach
Sitting before a group of small to medium-sized business owners in the 10th Congressional District he represents, U.S. Rep. Bob Dold asked a simple question.
“How many of you have been pitched to take your business out of the state of Illinois?”
Two-thirds of the business owners’ hands, Dold said, went up.
The Kenilworth Republican and pest control business owner recounted that story to the Daily Herald recently as he pitched a nonpartisan approach to building a friendlier business climate in the state.
“I think we’ve got to come up with an idea that (communicates) we’re a business friendly environment,” Dold said.
That plan, he said, must include Illinois being aggressive in recruiting companies, emphasizing that it’s a strong place in which to raise families, with strong schools, plentiful natural resources and Chicago’s various attractions.
Right now, he believes, the state’s “lackluster attitude” toward job creation is hindering that growth.
Illinois recently raised its corporate income tax rate from 5 to 7 percent, a sticking point with many Republicans. But, Dold says, “it’s not just the tax structure, it’s the overall environment,” that’s turning businesses away.
Law enforcement car company Carbon Motors, Dold recalled, looked in Waukegan in the 10th District before deciding to locate to Connersville, Ind.
“Waukegan’s mayor was doing jumping jacks,” Dold said, explaining that the company would have meant 1,500 jobs for a city that has double-digit unemployment.
“(Carbon Motors) found a piece of property right on a rail line that was perfect. But when they called the state, their experience was lackluster at best. But when they went to Indiana, they found marching band, big banners, 8,000 townspeople who came out to welcome them to take a look at the site.”
When he decided to run for office, Dold said he arranged a meeting with Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, who, along with his chief of staff, spent some time talking to him about the state’s success with businesses.
Much of that success, Dold believes, lies in the fact that Indiana is able to approve business licenses in a matter of days, whereas in Illinois, it can take weeks.
“This is something that’s service driven as opposed to revenue driven,” Dold said. “It’s communicating that we want you here and know you have a lot of choices to make. What are we going to to to make it more business friendly?”
With Illinois giving large companies like Caterpillar and Motorola tax incentives to stay in the state, Dold said, Gov. Pat Quinn and lawmakers must be mindful not to leave small and medium-sized businesses out in the cold.
“If you’re a Fortune 500 company, how fast does it take you to pick up the phone after you see the front page (of the paper) saying the governor keeps Motorola for a $100 million deal? Small businesses like mine, and many others, we’re left out. We call the governor, and he wouldn’t take the call,” Dold said.