Governor Bruce Rauner has held several townhall meetings that have included leaders from various business groups, including the Associated Builders and Contractors, to discuss reform intended to create jobs, lower property taxes, and improve schools.
The most recent of these took place in late November and brought together leaders from Illinois Black Chamber of Commerce, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Associated Builders and Contractors, and the National Federation of Independent Business.
A media release from the governor’s office quotes Rauner as saying: “We’re at a key turning point in Illinois’ history. We need to make some big changes because we’ve been going down the wrong track for far too long. We need economic reform to spur job growth, education reform to ensure that every child has access to a quality education, political reform to return power back to the people, property tax relief, pension reform to get our state’s financial footing back on the right track, and workers’ compensation reform to attract job creators and make us more competitive. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you come from – every Illinoisan deserves the chance to succeed. That’s what we’re fighting for every day.”
Earlier in the month the governor had celebrated National Apprenticeship Week at another town hall meeting which included leaders from Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, Associated Builders and Contractors and the National Federation of Independent Business came together.
The governor had proclaimed November 14–18, 2016, as Apprenticeship Week in Illinois in support of meaningful pathways to promote jobs and economic prosperity.
A media release quotes the governor as saying: “Apprenticeships are a win-win for employers and employees. They go beyond typical classroom experience. They give our young people the hands-on skills and the work experience they need. But apprenticeships are just one piece of what we need to grow our economy. We need a balanced budget with reforms to create jobs, lower property taxes and improve our schools to create a better future for all Illinois residents.”
