Nearly two years ago Illinois made national news when it increased taxes on business by 66 percent. This sparked anger in the business community, including threats to leave, and other states came recruiting with sweet offers. So what has happened in the 18 months the law has been in effect? How many businesses have left, and did they go to states such as Wisconsin, Indiana and New Jersey that led the recruiting effort? Or did Illinois businesses largely stay? This two-day series focuses on what happened.
CONTENT TEAM MANAGER: Mike Turley
REGIONAL EDITOR: Bob Heisse (The State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill.)
PAPERS THEY SERVE: The State Journal-Register (Springfield); Register Star (Rockford); Journal-Star (Peoria); Journal-Standard (Freeport); Lincoln Courier; Suburban Life Publications (Downers Grove)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The papers published "Post-tax hike, Illinois weathers attempts to poach jobs," written by Chris Wetterich and Tim Landis of The State Journal-Register, and packaged it with sidebars that localized the topic. Papers had the option of turning the project into a two-day series. Multimedia elements included a video of a business owner discussing the corporate income tax and a graphic comparing employers, unemployment rates and tax rates in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Sidebars include:
• Rockford — Wisconsin’s overtures;
• Suburban Life — Chicago’s luring of suburban businesses;
• Peoria — Caterpillar’s outlook in Illinois;
• Freeport — Outsourcing/layoffs involved with Sensata Technologies/Honeywell plant
• Springfield — Effects of workers’ comp reforms
Nearly two years ago Illinois made national news when it increased taxes on business by 66 percent. This sparked anger in the business community, including threats to leave, and other states came recruiting with sweet offers. So what has happened in the 18 months the law has been in effect? How many businesses have left, and did they go to states such as Wisconsin, Indiana and New Jersey that led the recruiting effort? Or did Illinois businesses largely stay? This two-day series focuses on what happened.
CONTENT TEAM MANAGER: Mike Turley
REGIONAL EDITOR: Bob Heisse (The State Journal-Register, Springfield, Ill.)
PAPERS THEY SERVE: The State Journal-Register (Springfield); Register Star (Rockford); Journal-Star (Peoria); Journal-Standard (Freeport); Lincoln Courier; Suburban Life Publications (Downers Grove)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The papers published "Post-tax hike, Illinois weathers attempts to poach jobs," written by Chris Wetterich and Tim Landis of The State Journal-Register, and packaged it with sidebars that localized the topic. Papers had the option of turning the project into a two-day series. Multimedia elements included a video of a business owner discussing the corporate income tax and a graphic comparing employers, unemployment rates and tax rates in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Sidebars include:
• Rockford — Wisconsin’s overtures;
• Suburban Life — Chicago’s luring of suburban businesses;
• Peoria — Caterpillar’s outlook in Illinois;
• Freeport — Outsourcing/layoffs involved with Sensata Technologies/Honeywell plant
• Springfield — Effects of workers’ comp reforms
