DCEO Official Meets w/Local Economic Development Proponents

Trish Vitale of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity met Tuesday with members of the Effingham County Economic Development Advisory Board and the Effingham County Board's Grants Research Committee.

Vitale said Governor Bruce Rauner is trying to make changes in how the State assists in job retention and increased employment, but said the lack of a state budget is hampering progress.

As to what is happening, Vitale said DCEO is working to enhance online and social media presence to heighten awareness of progress in economic development, and working to insure that success stories in downstate are being promoted, not just in Chicagoland. She said there are also disagreements with the alignment of the counties in Illinois as far as DCEO service areas, but hopes changes will be made by the end of 2016. She said the agency also has more of an industrial focus on new jobs and job retention.

Vitale said the agency is developing more of a cooperative attitude, rather than individualized uncoordinated efforts, allowing those in different departments to work together on projects. She said the governor is making phone calls to three to 10 corporate offices a week, either encouraging job growth in Illinois or retaining the jobs we now have. She said DCEO Director Jim Schultz is involved in similar outreach efforts and is getting ready to head overseas to see what can be done to reach out to foreign companies to locate in Illinois.

There was much discussion of the recent decision not to renew the Effingham City-County Enterprise Zone. Vitale, though, said that a new interpretation of the state statute is that a community can not request a new zone until within two years of the expiration of their current zone. Effingham and Effingham County, as a result, were not approved since their zone doesn't expire until late in 2018. Local officials have already said they intend to apply again. 

Some of those present, and Vitale, agreed that there should not be "competition" for zones between fellow Illinois communities, but Vitale said the guidelines are according to state statute, so it will take action by the State Government to change them.

Another key item is available employees, or the lack of them. Vitale said it's not just a concern in this area; the situation exists across Illinois. She said she knows of employers who need to expand, but they can't find qualified available workers in Illinois, so they're having to go elsewhere. That led to suggestions that when someone hears of a plant closure elsewhere, contact should be made with the employees of the plant to attract them to come Effingham County for a look around.

Vitale said, "Our goal is to make Illinois the most competitve and compassionate state in the nation; we can't do that without your help."