Rep. Tracy: Gov. Quinn Hurting Job Growth

A candidate for lieutenant governor says Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is hindering job growth with his policies, and the stance he'd taken against lawmakers to see a pension plan passed.

Representative Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) is the running mate to gubernatorial candidate and State Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale.)

She said higher rates for worker’s compensation and unemployment insurance are driving away business.

Tracy said an ultimatum from Quinn last year could have meant the loss of Archer Daniels Midland’s corporate headquarters, when he insisted on passage of a pension plan before approving corporate tax breaks.

"I called them up right away," she said.  "And that's a job that a governor should be doing, and instead we saw the present governor chastise them, and say 'well, I'm going to talk with you until we get the pension thing.  Two very important issues, but totally unrelated.  Governors should be able to multitask, and I know Senator Kirk Dillard has that ability."

The legislature failed to approve tax breaks.   ADM ultimately decided to move its headquarters from Decatur to Chicago.  The agribusiness giant also employs 500 at a facilty in Quincy, Tracy's hometown.

When legislators approved the pension form plan in December, Tracy approved it, while Dillard voted against it. 

Rep. Tracy – who served on a pension conference committee, admits it’s not a perfect measure. 

She expected courts will ultimately have set a framework for how pensions will work in Illinois, citing a number of union lawsuits against the plan.

The Republican Tracy made a campaign stop in Urbana Monday.