Christie Hopes to Lure Businesses Fleeing Illinois Taxes

[The Northerner]

Watch out, Illinois: New Jersey wants your businesses.

It is a time-honored tradition for mayors and governors of neighboring cities and states to compete for large corporations with tax breaks and other incentives. And so it was no surprise that the steep new tax increases approved this week by the governor of Illinois inspired the kind of trash talking heard more often from athletes than from state chief executives.

“Escape to Wisconsin,” chortled Scott Walker, the state’s Republican governor. Mitch Daniels, the Republican who runs Indiana, compared Illinois to the Simpsons — “you know, the dysfunctional family down the block?”

But New Jersey? Trenton is about 900 miles from Springfield, Ill. Jersey City is a 13-hour drive from Chicago. None of that deterred Gov. Chris Christie, a New Jersey Republican who spent much of last fall stumping around the country, from speaking up even before Gov. Patrick J. Quinn of Illinois, a Democrat, had signed the legislation.

“I’m going to Illinois,” Mr. Christie said in an interview on Wednesday. “I mean soon. I’m going to Illinois, personally, and going to start talking to businesses in Illinois and get them to come to New Jersey.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/14/nyregion/14illinois.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

[MrSlayer]

1. For 2%?

Greed is the main factor in the destruction of this country.

[DJ13]

3. + a brazillion

[DainBramaged]

2. Doughboy will give them NO taxes as an incentive, and e're still at square one

2014 can't come soon enough

[closeupready]

4. That has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard.

Clearly, he knows NOTHING about Illinois. Having come from there originally, I know many Illinoisans HATE the East Coast - the crowding, the hectic pace, the reputation for high crime rate. But sheez, if you want to waste your time, Christie, more fodder for your opponents, so by all means...

[rfranklin]

9. He wants the businesses not the workers...

The idea being to create jobs here in NJ. Of course, the businesses he will attract will be the fast buck artists who will milk the subsidies and disappear the next month.

[closeupready]

11. Right, but Illinois businesses are owned by Illinoisans (generally).

They are no more likely to enjoy New Jersey, even if it's just a place where they set up their business, than their workers would (if their workers were told they have to transfer or take severance). The New York/Wash metro-conglomeration is not popular there - maybe as a setting for TV shows and films, fine, but to live or to HQ a business? No. No. Triple no.

I suppose there is a price where people would be willing to give it a go, but I just think he's awfully naive - or maybe he's just dumb.

[rfranklin]

13. It is usually the larger corporations that are lured by these tax breaks...

and they are run by itinerant CEOs and execs who go from company to company looking for the best deal. That attitude tends to extend to whatever corporation they are running. Whatever move will justify making them more money. They are not concerned with the workers or the community or, quite honestly, the future of the company. They are focused on making money for themselves. The wreckage they leave behind is not a concern.

[Myrina]

5. Yah, WI and IN are pissing themselves with glee about this ...

More big-business friendly tax abatements and less worker protections, coming up ...

[NoGOPZone]

6. "I'm going to Illinois"

Or Disney World, depending on the weather, huh Chris?

[SoCalDem]

7. I have heard that property taxes in NJ are HORRENDOUS

Perhaps Illinois can spend a little money "refudiating" this blatant cannibalism.

[rfranklin]

10. Oh, but our fearless leader is reducing property taxes...

and gutting out public education and gyppin our public workers out of their pensions.

[DCKit]

8. They'll expect some payola up-front, as well as infrastructure improvements.

Is NJ in any shape to do that?

Additionally, didn't NJ just go through this dance with corporations who took their money and tax breaks, then closed-up shop and left the state, anyway?

Them Republicons need to learn a new dance.

[EC]

12. Here in WI the northern Illinoians that come here are

Democrats...so Walker won't last long if this is his cure for jobs...