Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois

[DaGoose]

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois | Comcast.net

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state. The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic...

Uhhh.....CAT has already expanded its Illinois operations.



Caterpillar to expand capacity for Illinois operations

Taxes certainly play into it, as they should. At the same time, CAT isn't moving all of it's plants at one time, but will probably see it happen slowly. Illinois government is anti-business:

Caterpillar: Illinois won

Caterpillar Inc. has ruled Illinois out of plans to relocate a factory and 1,400 jobs from Japan, citing both logistical problems with building the plant in its home state and ongoing concerns about the business climate.

Caterpillar laid out its decision Tuesday in an email to elected leaders in Peoria County, saying it considered factors such as access to ports and local labor markets, as well as proximity to Caterpillar’s building and construction projects division headquarters in Cary, N.C.

But the email, signed only by the Peoria-based company’s North American Facility Site Selection Team, says Caterpillar’s longstanding complaints about Illinois’ state budget deficit were a factor.

...

I don't disagree with the corporate tax being too high, albeit being a temporary increase.

My biggest sticking point is: If not that then what?

That's why I challenged GHook to tell me just what he wants our officials in Springfield to do.

1) Raising personal income taxes? (I have NO problem with that)

2) Simply not paying bills? (not even an option)

3) Increase what employees pay into pension fund? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

4) Decrease pension amounts? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

5) Cut spending (Ok....just be specific)

6) Close prisons?

7) Lay-off state employees? (Ok....just be specific)

He says he's going to answer so I'll be very interested in what he says. Just remember I used to be an elected official and spoke with my former State Rep at length several times about the budget crisis so I do know just a little about the cause and effect of government decision making. I'm far from any kind of expert but I have a little more involvement than your average citizen.

 

[DaGoose]

I left the union I belonged to 30 years ago,I wasn't any better off as a member than not,and I call all my own shots,for better or worse they are mine and no dues to a antiquated bigoted corrupt labor model.
You want to be a member fine have at it,but respect people that do not.

BINGO!!!!! WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never once have I ever attacked anyone because he or she was not a union member. Yet I and other union members on this board get attacked constantly. And we're talking vicious, personal attacks.

Yes, I respect ALL workers. I have been working since I was in grade school delivering papers and mowing yards. I worked all the way through high school moving furniture, working in a lumber yard, picking apples, baling hay and detasseling corn. I have been working swing shift in hot, dirty conditions in my current job for over 30 years. So I know a lot about working and workers.

You don't want to work in a labor union represented job? Cool, more power to you. But don't attack me because I do. And no, I do not consider unions to be "antiquated, bigoted or corrupt". It's a pity you do.

 

[Ernie S.]

Business climate in Illinois, that's certainly understandable. As is the fact that NC is a right to work state. Let's see. In Illinois a plant full of union stooges. In NC a plant with no union stooges. Decisions, decisions...

Agreed. I can understand why a business would choose to employ people that allow themselves to be exploited. Heck, they'll work for less, for less benefits and they have to kneel down and open wide to get ahead.

You have that backwards. Unions exploit people. Unions are racketeers...forcing members to pay dues for job protection and the "privilege" of being a member of the group that drives up the cost of everything manufactured or built exclusively with overpriced labor. Unions destroyed the American auto industry.

Let me see...did the workers not have to take cuts in pay and benefits under the reorganizing?

Unions suck!

The Teachers Unions are destroying public education and have created what is nothing more than a protected-jobs program for incompetent, worthless "teachers that cannot be fired".

The entire population of the United States suffers from the activities and corruption of labor unions.

Pretty much... Multiculturalism, Afro-centric History and deviant sexual tendencies are pretty irrelevant out in the real world, unless you're going to be a teacher

 

[Mr Natural]

I left the union I belonged to 30 years ago,I wasn't any better off as a member than not,and I call all my own shots,for better or worse they are mine and no dues to a antiquated bigoted corrupt labor model.
You want to be a member fine have at it,but respect people that do not.

Anyone who draws a paycheck union or not owes a debt of gratitude to the labor movement.

 

[Big Fitz]

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois | Comcast.net

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state. The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic...

This issue has been simmering for 25 years now. The union has been recalcitrant in so many ways. They'd rather destroy the jobs than compromise anymore. Now Peoria at large pays the price for their arrogance

 

[Ernie S.]

I left the union I belonged to 30 years ago,I wasn't any better off as a member than not,and I call all my own shots,for better or worse they are mine and no dues to a antiquated bigoted corrupt labor model.
You want to be a member fine have at it,but respect people that do not.

Anyone who draws a paycheck union or not owes a debt of gratitude to the labor movement.

I left my last union job, I was a technician in the R&D department making $9.79/hour. 3 weeks later, I started in a non-union R&D position at $22.50. 5 years later, I was making 80 G's/year. Unions did nothing for me but assess me extra dues to fund strike pay for other locals and hold me back
As a union employee in the 70's, I was actually told I was working too hard... by MANAGEMENT! I quit that job on principle.

 

[Annie]

Uhhh.....CAT has already expanded its Illinois operations.



Caterpillar to expand capacity for Illinois operations

Taxes certainly play into it, as they should. At the same time, CAT isn't moving all of it's plants at one time, but will probably see it happen slowly. Illinois government is anti-business:

Caterpillar: Illinois won

Caterpillar Inc. has ruled Illinois out of plans to relocate a factory and 1,400 jobs from Japan, citing both logistical problems with building the plant in its home state and ongoing concerns about the business climate.

Caterpillar laid out its decision Tuesday in an email to elected leaders in Peoria County, saying it considered factors such as access to ports and local labor markets, as well as proximity to Caterpillar’s building and construction projects division headquarters in Cary, N.C.

But the email, signed only by the Peoria-based company’s North American Facility Site Selection Team, says Caterpillar’s longstanding complaints about Illinois’ state budget deficit were a factor.

...

I don't disagree with the corporate tax being too high, albeit being a temporary increase.

My biggest sticking point is: If not that then what?

That's why I challenged GHook to tell me just what he wants our officials in Springfield to do.

1) Raising personal income taxes? (I have NO problem with that)

2) Simply not paying bills? (not even an option)

3) Increase what employees pay into pension fund? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

4) Decrease pension amounts? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

5) Cut spending (Ok....just be specific)

6) Close prisons?

7) Lay-off state employees? (Ok....just be specific)

He says he's going to answer so I'll be very interested in what he says. Just remember I used to be an elected official and spoke with my former State Rep at length several times about the budget crisis so I do know just a little about the cause and effect of government decision making. I'm far from any kind of expert but I have a little more involvement than your average citizen.

Illinois isn't paying its bills and you're correct, that's unacceptable:

Deadbeat Illinois owes billions - Chicago Sun-Times

 

[GHook93]

Uhhh.....CAT has already expanded its Illinois operations.



Caterpillar to expand capacity for Illinois operations

Taxes certainly play into it, as they should. At the same time, CAT isn't moving all of it's plants at one time, but will probably see it happen slowly. Illinois government is anti-business:

Caterpillar: Illinois won

Caterpillar Inc. has ruled Illinois out of plans to relocate a factory and 1,400 jobs from Japan, citing both logistical problems with building the plant in its home state and ongoing concerns about the business climate.

Caterpillar laid out its decision Tuesday in an email to elected leaders in Peoria County, saying it considered factors such as access to ports and local labor markets, as well as proximity to Caterpillar’s building and construction projects division headquarters in Cary, N.C.

But the email, signed only by the Peoria-based company’s North American Facility Site Selection Team, says Caterpillar’s longstanding complaints about Illinois’ state budget deficit were a factor.

...

I don't disagree with the corporate tax being too high, albeit being a temporary increase.

My biggest sticking point is: If not that then what?

That's why I challenged GHook to tell me just what he wants our officials in Springfield to do.

1) Raising personal income taxes? (I have NO problem with that)

2) Simply not paying bills? (not even an option)

3) Increase what employees pay into pension fund? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

4) Decrease pension amounts? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

5) Cut spending (Ok....just be specific)

6) Close prisons?

7) Lay-off state employees? (Ok....just be specific)

He says he's going to answer so I'll be very interested in what he says. Just remember I used to be an elected official and spoke with my former State Rep at length several times about the budget crisis so I do know just a little about the cause and effect of government decision making. I'm far from any kind of expert but I have a little more involvement than your average citizen.

(1) I would elect Ron Paul as IL govern (I don't like his foreign policy, but he is right on with domestic issues)
(2) I would make IL a "Right to Work" state
(3) I would get rid of the IL EPA, we have a federal one screwing things up, why do we need IL doing the same crap.
(4) I would make all public worker pension plans illegal (grandfather many workers in) and put them into individual plans (401k, IRAs etc) like the rest of us. Teachers and all public workers would have to contribute the same share to their health insurance that private sector does.
(5) I would end collective bargaining rights for public workers! Why should they get more rights than their Federal counterparts?
(6) I would immediately make all teachers at will workers, end tenure, make pay increases based on merit not senority.
(7) I would zero out the corporate, income tax and set a CA time cap on property Taxes (the only thing they get right). I would keep the sales tax at 10% though.
(8) I would end IL sanctuary policies:
(a) Make it mandatory for ALL IL counties and cities to work with ICE and follow the FEDERAL guidelines or face criminal charges of obstruction.
(b) Make Everify mandatory for all employers, big or small, corp or mom and pop, with a proof sent to Springfield annually;
(c) In the absence of insurance, I would make proof of citizenship a requirement for care all non-life threatening emergency room visits in order to see a doctor (either a state ID card or driver's license). If they have insurance, then no proof of citizenship needed.
(d) I would make proof of citizenship a requirement to register in school.
(e) I would require landlords to use Everify (or face HUGE fines for each offense)
(f) I would make the fines for very large against employers that hire illegals. An additional one would be place on each HR or hiring manager that OK the applicant
(g) I would require, in that absence or a driver's license, proof of citizenship at ALL traffic stops big or small. If no proof was available, then I would detain them for ICE.
(i) I would make it impossible for illegals to get on welfare or food stamps

(8) I would lower the tolls amounts to $0.30 ($0.60) and eliminate a few. The money would specifically be earmarked for the highways.
(9) I would review all government agencies and workers at each agency. Most agencies/workers would get cut and many consolidated.
(10) I would do what WI is doing and hire more and more teachers to reduce class sizes and have TAs in the classroom
(11) Restructure workers comp to be less burdensome on companies, but still protect the workers.
(12) Would put as a goal 10% of tax revenues go into the rainy-day fund
(13) I would actively solicite companies in other states, Mexico, Canada and China, with incentives such as lower taxation, right to work and relocation and plant building assistance (we would use tax payor funds to help pay for the constructions as long as they used IL workers an an IL company).

Just my short list!

 

[DaGoose]

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois | Comcast.net

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state. The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic...

This issue has been simmering for 25 years now. The union has been recalcitrant in so many ways. They'd rather destroy the jobs than compromise anymore. Now Peoria at large pays the price for their arrogance

Shows how much you fucking know about CAT and the UAW.

CAT BUSTED the union a long time ago. It should make you happy that new hires make MUCH LESS than what their counterparts do. It's called a two tiered wage scale. So you can stop with your bullshit uninformed stupid assed opinions.

I swear the ignorance on this board get more ignorant every day. It takes a lot to piss me off but your stupidity managed to do it.

Dumbfuck.

 

[Annie]

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois | Comcast.net

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state. The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic...

This issue has been simmering for 25 years now. The union has been recalcitrant in so many ways. They'd rather destroy the jobs than compromise anymore. Now Peoria at large pays the price for their arrogance

Shows how much you fucking know about CAT and the UAW.

CAT BUSTED the union a long time ago. It should make you happy that new hires make MUCH LESS than what their counterparts do. It's called a two tiered wage scale. So you can stop with your bullshit uninformed stupid assed opinions.

I swear the ignorance on this board get more ignorant every day. It takes a lot to piss me off but your stupidity managed to do it.

Dumbfuck.

I'm for the 'right to work' laws, but don't think CAT union workers have been the problem here:

Highlights of the Cat-UAW deal - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com

 

[Amelia]

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois | Comcast.net

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state. The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic...

Uhhh.....CAT has already expanded its Illinois operations.

In support of this capacity expansion, the company will invest more than $1 billion from 2008 through 2010 in five existing facilities in Illinois (East Peoria, Joliet, Decatur, Aurora and Mossville).

Caterpillar to expand capacity for Illinois operations

What year was your linked article written? 2008?

It actually makes the OP's article that much more poignant. Illinois didn't live up to their early promise in Caterpillar's estimation.

 

[DaGoose]

Taxes certainly play into it, as they should. At the same time, CAT isn't moving all of it's plants at one time, but will probably see it happen slowly. Illinois government is anti-business:

Caterpillar: Illinois won

I don't disagree with the corporate tax being too high, albeit being a temporary increase.

My biggest sticking point is: If not that then what?

That's why I challenged GHook to tell me just what he wants our officials in Springfield to do.

1) Raising personal income taxes? (I have NO problem with that)

2) Simply not paying bills? (not even an option)

3) Increase what employees pay into pension fund? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

4) Decrease pension amounts? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

5) Cut spending (Ok....just be specific)

6) Close prisons?

7) Lay-off state employees? (Ok....just be specific)

He says he's going to answer so I'll be very interested in what he says. Just remember I used to be an elected official and spoke with my former State Rep at length several times about the budget crisis so I do know just a little about the cause and effect of government decision making. I'm far from any kind of expert but I have a little more involvement than your average citizen.

(1) I would elect Ron Paul as IL govern (I don't like his foreign policy, but he is right on with domestic issues)

OMG

(2) I would make IL a "Right to Work" state

And that would help NOW? No.

(3) I would get rid of the IL EPA, we have a federal one screwing things up, why do we need IL doing the same crap.

May be some merit there. The Illinois river is already so full of mercury that we could go ahead and finish it off.

(4) I would make all public worker pension plans illegal (grandfather many workers in) and put them into individual plans (401k, IRAs etc) like the rest of us. Teachers and all public workers would have to contribute the same share to their health insurance that private sector does.

Sorry. It's anti-Constitutional.

(5) I would end collective bargaining rights for public workers! Why should they get more rights than their Federal counterparts?

And that would help NOW? No.

(6) I would immediately make all teachers at will workers, end tenure, make pay increases based on merit not senority.

You just closed nearly half the schools in the state due to lack of teachers.

(7) I would zero out the corporate, income tax and set a CA time cap on property Taxes (the only thing they get right). I would keep the sales tax at 10% though.

You just added BILLIONS to Illinois debt.

(8) I would end IL sanctuary policies:
(a) Make it mandatory for ALL IL counties and cities to work with ICE and follow the FEDERAL guidelines or face criminal charges of obstruction.

You just caused tens of thousands of acres of fruit and vegitables rotting in the fields like Georgia.

(b) Make Everify mandatory for all employers, big or small, corp or mom and pop, with a proof sent to Springfield annually;

Again....You just caused tens of thousands of acres of fruit and vegitables rotting in the fields like Georgia.

(c) In the absence of insurance, I would make proof of citizenship a requirement for care all non-life threatening emergency room visits in order to see a doctor (either a state ID card or driver's license). If they have insurance, then no proof of citizenship needed.

Good job!! You just turned minor non-life threatening emergencies that could be fixed easy into major life threatening ones requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat. (An ounce of prevention, you know).

(d) I would make proof of citizenship a requirement to register in school.

Possibly. Your beloved Texas sends illegals to college.

(e) I would require landlords to use Everify (or face HUGE fines for each offense)

Great. You want government overreach to tell you who you can rent your property to.

(f) I would make the fines for very large against employers that hire illegals. An additional one would be place on each HR or hiring manager that OK the applicant

You just greatly increased the cost of living due to increased cost of goods.

(g) I would require, in that absence or a driver's license, proof of citizenship at ALL traffic stops big or small. If no proof was available, then I would detain them for ICE.

Anti-Constitutional

(i) I would make it impossible for illegals to get on welfare or food stamps

Possibly. Very little, if any cost savings though.

(8) I would lower the tolls amounts to $0.30 ($0.60) and eliminate a few. The money would specifically be earmarked for the highways.

You just added millions more to our debt.

(9) I would review all government agencies and workers at each agency. Most agencies/workers would get cut and many consolidated.

May have some limited savings but very little.

(10) I would do what WI is doing and hire more and more teachers to reduce class sizes and have TAs in the classroom

Nope. They'll seek employment elsewhere. They're already working for less than they're worth.

(11) Restructure workers comp to be less burdensome on companies, but still protect the workers.

Already done.

(12) Would put as a goal 10% of tax revenues go into the rainy-day fund

Doesn't help our problems NOW, does it?

(13) I would actively solicite companies in other states, Mexico, Canada and China, with incentives such as lower taxation, right to work and relocation and plant building assistance (we would use tax payor funds to help pay for the constructions as long as they used IL workers an an IL company).

Already been done and now you want to spend MORE tax money on Corporate welfare???

Just my short list!

Damn. I thought you were serious.

In your short list you've managed to close half the schools, increase our debt dramatically, violate our state Constitution, explode health care costs and destroy tons of crops in the fields.

Good job.

 

[GHook93]

I don't disagree with the corporate tax being too high, albeit being a temporary increase.

My biggest sticking point is: If not that then what?

That's why I challenged GHook to tell me just what he wants our officials in Springfield to do.

1) Raising personal income taxes? (I have NO problem with that)

2) Simply not paying bills? (not even an option)

3) Increase what employees pay into pension fund? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

4) Decrease pension amounts? (violation of Illinois Constitution)

5) Cut spending (Ok....just be specific)

6) Close prisons?

7) Lay-off state employees? (Ok....just be specific)

He says he's going to answer so I'll be very interested in what he says. Just remember I used to be an elected official and spoke with my former State Rep at length several times about the budget crisis so I do know just a little about the cause and effect of government decision making. I'm far from any kind of expert but I have a little more involvement than your average citizen.

(1) I would elect Ron Paul as IL govern (I don't like his foreign policy, but he is right on with domestic issues)

OMG

(2) I would make IL a "Right to Work" state

And that would help NOW? No.

(3) I would get rid of the IL EPA, we have a federal one screwing things up, why do we need IL doing the same crap.

May be some merit there. The Illinois river is already so full of mercury that we could go ahead and finish it off.

(4) I would make all public worker pension plans illegal (grandfather many workers in) and put them into individual plans (401k, IRAs etc) like the rest of us. Teachers and all public workers would have to contribute the same share to their health insurance that private sector does.

Sorry. It's anti-Constitutional.

(5) I would end collective bargaining rights for public workers! Why should they get more rights than their Federal counterparts?

And that would help NOW? No.

(6) I would immediately make all teachers at will workers, end tenure, make pay increases based on merit not senority.

You just closed nearly half the schools in the state due to lack of teachers.

(7) I would zero out the corporate, income tax and set a CA time cap on property Taxes (the only thing they get right). I would keep the sales tax at 10% though.

You just added BILLIONS to Illinois debt.

(8) I would end IL sanctuary policies:
(a) Make it mandatory for ALL IL counties and cities to work with ICE and follow the FEDERAL guidelines or face criminal charges of obstruction.

You just caused tens of thousands of acres of fruit and vegitables rotting in the fields like Georgia.

(b) Make Everify mandatory for all employers, big or small, corp or mom and pop, with a proof sent to Springfield annually;

Again....You just caused tens of thousands of acres of fruit and vegitables rotting in the fields like Georgia.

(c) In the absence of insurance, I would make proof of citizenship a requirement for care all non-life threatening emergency room visits in order to see a doctor (either a state ID card or driver's license). If they have insurance, then no proof of citizenship needed.

Good job!! You just turned minor non-life threatening emergencies that could be fixed easy into major life threatening ones requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat. (An ounce of prevention, you know).

(d) I would make proof of citizenship a requirement to register in school.

Possibly. Your beloved Texas sends illegals to college.

(e) I would require landlords to use Everify (or face HUGE fines for each offense)

Great. You want government overreach to tell you who you can rent your property to.

(f) I would make the fines for very large against employers that hire illegals. An additional one would be place on each HR or hiring manager that OK the applicant

You just greatly increased the cost of living due to increased cost of goods.

(g) I would require, in that absence or a driver's license, proof of citizenship at ALL traffic stops big or small. If no proof was available, then I would detain them for ICE.

Anti-Constitutional

(i) I would make it impossible for illegals to get on welfare or food stamps

Possibly. Very little, if any cost savings though.

(8) I would lower the tolls amounts to $0.30 ($0.60) and eliminate a few. The money would specifically be earmarked for the highways.

You just added millions more to our debt.

(9) I would review all government agencies and workers at each agency. Most agencies/workers would get cut and many consolidated.

May have some limited savings but very little.

(10) I would do what WI is doing and hire more and more teachers to reduce class sizes and have TAs in the classroom

Nope. They'll seek employment elsewhere. They're already working for less than they're worth.

(11) Restructure workers comp to be less burdensome on companies, but still protect the workers.

Already done.

(12) Would put as a goal 10% of tax revenues go into the rainy-day fund

Doesn't help our problems NOW, does it?

(13) I would actively solicite companies in other states, Mexico, Canada and China, with incentives such as lower taxation, right to work and relocation and plant building assistance (we would use tax payor funds to help pay for the constructions as long as they used IL workers an an IL company).

Already been done and now you want to spend MORE tax money on Corporate welfare???

Just my short list!

Damn. I thought you were serious.

In your short list you've managed to close half the schools, increase our debt dramatically, violate our state Constitution, explode health care costs and destroy tons of crops in the fields.

Good job.

Your little responses show your highschool level intelligence. Every tax and spending cut you say increases the state deficit. Smart guy I am talking about getting rid of the state pensions and godwilling make teachers and public workers pay the same percent for their health ins as the private sector. You add an amendment to the IL constitution, that is how you change piss poor parts to them!

All waterways in US are federally governed! Hence, the reason there can be riverboat casinos. All waterways are covered by the Clean Water Act.

The bullshit of if we don't have illegals then no one will pick the fruit and vegs is bullshit. First we are talking about IL not GA, second the fruit and vegs WILL get picked!

I put together a list and you didn't refute any of it. Yep right to work will help NOW! Get illegals off food stamps and welfare WILL FREE UP A LOT OF MONEY!

Illegals are bankrupting our emergency rooms and schools, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!

Chicago had a storage of teachers because they were forced to lay so many off and THERE WERE FREEZES ON HIRING. There are a lot of good teachers in IL that are looking for teaching jobs, too bad there are none here to be had. Fortunately for them WI is hiring!

 

[DaGoose]

(1) I would elect Ron Paul as IL govern (I don't like his foreign policy, but he is right on with domestic issues)

OMG

(2) I would make IL a "Right to Work" state

And that would help NOW? No.

(3) I would get rid of the IL EPA, we have a federal one screwing things up, why do we need IL doing the same crap.

May be some merit there. The Illinois river is already so full of mercury that we could go ahead and finish it off.

(4) I would make all public worker pension plans illegal (grandfather many workers in) and put them into individual plans (401k, IRAs etc) like the rest of us. Teachers and all public workers would have to contribute the same share to their health insurance that private sector does.

Sorry. It's anti-Constitutional.

(5) I would end collective bargaining rights for public workers! Why should they get more rights than their Federal counterparts?

And that would help NOW? No.

(6) I would immediately make all teachers at will workers, end tenure, make pay increases based on merit not senority.

You just closed nearly half the schools in the state due to lack of teachers.

(7) I would zero out the corporate, income tax and set a CA time cap on property Taxes (the only thing they get right). I would keep the sales tax at 10% though.

You just added BILLIONS to Illinois debt.

(8) I would end IL sanctuary policies:
(a) Make it mandatory for ALL IL counties and cities to work with ICE and follow the FEDERAL guidelines or face criminal charges of obstruction.

You just caused tens of thousands of acres of fruit and vegitables rotting in the fields like Georgia.

(b) Make Everify mandatory for all employers, big or small, corp or mom and pop, with a proof sent to Springfield annually;

Again....You just caused tens of thousands of acres of fruit and vegitables rotting in the fields like Georgia.

(c) In the absence of insurance, I would make proof of citizenship a requirement for care all non-life threatening emergency room visits in order to see a doctor (either a state ID card or driver's license). If they have insurance, then no proof of citizenship needed.

Good job!! You just turned minor non-life threatening emergencies that could be fixed easy into major life threatening ones requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat. (An ounce of prevention, you know).

(d) I would make proof of citizenship a requirement to register in school.

Possibly. Your beloved Texas sends illegals to college.

(e) I would require landlords to use Everify (or face HUGE fines for each offense)

Great. You want government overreach to tell you who you can rent your property to.

(f) I would make the fines for very large against employers that hire illegals. An additional one would be place on each HR or hiring manager that OK the applicant

You just greatly increased the cost of living due to increased cost of goods.

(g) I would require, in that absence or a driver's license, proof of citizenship at ALL traffic stops big or small. If no proof was available, then I would detain them for ICE.

Anti-Constitutional

(i) I would make it impossible for illegals to get on welfare or food stamps

Possibly. Very little, if any cost savings though.

(8) I would lower the tolls amounts to $0.30 ($0.60) and eliminate a few. The money would specifically be earmarked for the highways.

You just added millions more to our debt.

(9) I would review all government agencies and workers at each agency. Most agencies/workers would get cut and many consolidated.

May have some limited savings but very little.

(10) I would do what WI is doing and hire more and more teachers to reduce class sizes and have TAs in the classroom

Nope. They'll seek employment elsewhere. They're already working for less than they're worth.

(11) Restructure workers comp to be less burdensome on companies, but still protect the workers.

Already done.

(12) Would put as a goal 10% of tax revenues go into the rainy-day fund

Doesn't help our problems NOW, does it?

(13) I would actively solicite companies in other states, Mexico, Canada and China, with incentives such as lower taxation, right to work and relocation and plant building assistance (we would use tax payor funds to help pay for the constructions as long as they used IL workers an an IL company).

Already been done and now you want to spend MORE tax money on Corporate welfare???

Just my short list!

Damn. I thought you were serious.

In your short list you've managed to close half the schools, increase our debt dramatically, violate our state Constitution, explode health care costs and destroy tons of crops in the fields.

Good job.

Your little responses show your highschool level intelligence. Every tax and spending cut you say increases the state deficit. Smart guy I am talking about getting rid of the state pensions and godwilling make teachers and public workers pay the same percent for their health ins as the private sector. You add an amendment to the IL constitution, that is how you change piss poor parts to them!

Sorry. You have to wait for a Constitutional Convention. They only come around every 20 years and our last chance was in 2008. So if you want to get rid of them your next chance will be 2028. And given the piss poor salary teachers make....

Let me ask, what percentage does a teacher pay now for health care? I'll bet you cannot answer without even looking it up. Here you are blaming them for all our troubles and you don't even have a clue how their system works. And there are a lot of variables you can look at but chose not to.

Hey dickhead. All waterways in US are federally governed! Hence, the reason there can be riverboat casinos. All waterways are covered by the Clean Water Act.

You're correct. But what pollutes rivers the most comes from the air, or didn't you know that? And the same EPA laws that might apply to Montana with all of its rural land might not apply to Central Illinois and what might apply to Central Illinois might not apply to Chicago.

The bullshit of if we don't have illegals then no one will pick the fruit and vegs is bullshit. First we are talking about IL not GA, second the fruit and vegs WILL get picked!

Wowzers. It's easy to tell you're from Chicagoland. I guess you're unaware that we have HORDES of Mexicans come through central and downstate Illinois every fall picking tomatoes for Del Monte and pumpkins for Libby's. Yes dear, they are grown not 20 miles from me and have to be hand picked. Now we have enough kids to detassel corn (it grows in fields around here ya know) but by harvest time all the kids are in school and the farmers cannot do the job themselves. They're tough but they're not super human.

I put together a list and you didn't refute any of it. Yep right to work will help NOW! Get illegals off food stamps and welfare WILL FREE UP A LOT OF MONEY!

How much money?

Illegals are bankrupting our emergency rooms and schools, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE!

Really? How much are they costing the schools and hospitals?

Chicago had a storage of teachers because they were forced to lay so many off and THERE WERE FREEZES ON HIRING. There are a lot of good teachers in IL that are looking for teaching jobs, too bad there are none here to be had. Fortunately for them WI is hiring!

And they may go there but I seriously doubt it. In Wisconsin a teacher with a Bachelors degree starts out at $25,000. Hardly a reason to go there. Hell, I doubt YOU would go there for that.

Yes, not only did I refute your so-called "solutions" I showed you that your simplistic approach is, well.....simplistic. It just looked like warmed over neo-conservative ideas that you picked up from the news and off this board. And it doesn't begin to resolve the Illinois debt problems.

Please note I didn't call you names, either.

 

[code1211]

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois | Comcast.net

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state. The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic...

Uhhh.....CAT has already expanded its Illinois operations.

In support of this capacity expansion, the company will invest more than $1 billion from 2008 through 2010 in five existing facilities in Illinois (East Peoria, Joliet, Decatur, Aurora and Mossville).

Caterpillar to expand capacity for Illinois operations

“Caterpillar’s decision, ending a standoff with locked-out workers huddled around barrels of burning scrap wood outside the London factory gates, may benefit another downtrodden manufacturing city: Muncie, Ind., where Caterpillar last year opened a locomotive plant and where it is trying to fill jobs at about half the pay workers in Ontario received. At a job fair in Muncie Saturday, Caterpillar will be offering jobs at that plant at wages ranging from $12 to $18.50 per hour.”

http://city-countyobserver.com/2012...unced-plant-relocation-from-canada-to-muncie/

 

[code1211]

Business climate in Illinois, that's certainly understandable. As is the fact that NC is a right to work state. Let's see. In Illinois a plant full of union stooges. In NC a plant with no union stooges. Decisions, decisions...

Agreed. I can understand why a business would choose to employ people that allow themselves to be exploited. Heck, they'll work for less, for less benefits and they have to kneel down and open wide to get ahead.

Work for less? Work at all?

Are you sure your considering the right option?

 

[Euroconservativ]

Another example of the US manufacturing revival, and right-to-work states taking advantage:

Bell Helicopter to build commercial helicopter in Amarillo - KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, Sports

Bell will produce its largest commercial helicopter in Texas. Their first commercial helicopter built in USA since 1988, when all the civilian production was moved to Canada.


Textron CEO: "We're looking at capacity as we see levels flat or decreasing for things like the V-22 in 2015," said Donnelly during a fourth quarter 2011 earnings call with investors this morning. "Most [of Bell's] commercial helicopter production has been in Canada and military production in Amarillo. The product to be announced at Heli-Expo will be produced in Amarillo."

Defense budget cuts = more investment in civilian stuff. As simple as that. Obama deserves credit for this. General Dynamics can survive defense cuts, thanks to its growing Gulfstream bizjets division. Hopefully even Lockheed will go back to civilian stuff.

 

[code1211]

Yeah, what's union membership these days? 10% of the workforce?

Must be a great deal!!!!

Yep. The better paid 10% of the workforce.

Besides, it's hard to fight the wealthy 1%, government and all of the corporate money in Washington. They all kind of frown on workers standing up for themselves.

They'd rather see RTW laws put in place where there is less pay, less workers comp and less worker safety laws. You know, where you're told to "STFU and do as you're told and don't ask no fucking questions".

There's less workers comp in non-union jobs?

If unionism is a good thing that helps to grow business, why are there fewer and fewer manufacturing union members daily?

 

[DaGoose]

Yeah, what's union membership these days? 10% of the workforce?

Must be a great deal!!!!

Yep. The better paid 10% of the workforce.

Besides, it's hard to fight the wealthy 1%, government and all of the corporate money in Washington. They all kind of frown on workers standing up for themselves.

They'd rather see RTW laws put in place where there is less pay, less workers comp and less worker safety laws. You know, where you're told to "STFU and do as you're told and don't ask no fucking questions".

There's less workers comp in non-union jobs?

If unionism is a good thing that helps to grow business, why are there fewer and fewer manufacturing union members daily?

You have a hard time reading, don't you? What part of.....

......it's hard to fight the wealthy 1%, government and all of the corporate money in Washington. They all kind of frown on workers standing up for themselves

.........don't you understand?

 

[DaGoose]

Caterpillar won't build North American plant in Illinois | Comcast.net

PEORIA -- Caterpillar Inc. will not be building its new North American plant anywhere in the state of Illinois, officials with the company told local leaders Tuesday, with part of the reason being continued concerns about the business climate in the state. The company will instead focus on a location closer to its division headquarters in Cary, N.C., Peoria County officials were told in an email sent to them shortly after the close of business and later obtained by the Journal Star. The plant stood to bring with it from Japan roughly 1,000 jobs manufacturing track-type tractors and mini hydraulic...

Uhhh.....CAT has already expanded its Illinois operations.

In support of this capacity expansion, the company will invest more than $1 billion from 2008 through 2010 in five existing facilities in Illinois (East Peoria, Joliet, Decatur, Aurora and Mossville).

Caterpillar to expand capacity for Illinois operations

“Caterpillar’s decision, ending a standoff with locked-out workers huddled around barrels of burning scrap wood outside the London factory gates, may benefit another downtrodden manufacturing city: Muncie, Ind., where Caterpillar last year opened a locomotive plant and where it is trying to fill jobs at about half the pay workers in Ontario received. At a job fair in Muncie Saturday, Caterpillar will be offering jobs at that plant at wages ranging from $12 to $18.50 per hour.”

http://city-countyobserver.com/2012...unced-plant-relocation-from-canada-to-muncie/

I wonder why they target "down trodden cities"? Is it because they're so desperate they'll allow themselves to be exploited and work for "half the money"?

And the sad part is....in this Bush recession they'll find plenty of applicants.