To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here. *** UPDATED x2 - Pritzker, DGA respond *** Florida governor on jobs poaching mission to Illinois Wednesday, Oct 25, 2017 * Tribune… Republican Gov. Rauner’s new re-election ad unusually features three neighboring state GOP governors bragging about their job climate over Illinois. Now, another Republican governor is on the way to Illinois to try to poach jobs — Florida Gov. Rick Scott. Scott’s office announced Tuesday he will be leading an economic development mission to Chicago later this week “to share why businesses in Chicago should consider moving their operations to Florida.” “While Gov. Rauner has tried to grow Illinois’ economy, Chicago leaders and state legislators have for years been passing shortsighted policies and overwhelming increases of taxes and fees,” Scott said in a statement. […] Not mentioned in the new ad or in Scott’s statement is that several Republican lawmakers broke with Rauner to enact the budget and spending package over the Illinois governor’s veto — effectively ending an historic budget stalemate that nearly sent the state into junk status, hiked unpaid bills and tattered the social service safety net. * Scott’s full statement… Today, Governor Rick Scott announced he will be leading an economic development mission to Chicago this week to share why businesses in Chicago should consider moving their operations to Florida. Governor Scott said, “Over the past seven years, we have cut taxes more than 75 times in Florida, saving our taxpayers more than $7 billion, and leading to the creation of more than 1.3 million private sector jobs. Florida’s success story is in stark contrast to the anti-business policies that have overburdened Chicago families and companies for far too long. That is why I will be leading an economic development mission to Chicago to meet with site selectors and job creators and encourage them to move to and invest in Florida. “While Governor Rauner has tried to grow Illinois’ economy, Chicago leaders and state legislators have for years been passing shortsighted policies and overwhelming increases of taxes and fees. In fact, the average Chicago family today pays nearly $1,700 more in taxes and fees every year than they paid only seven years ago. While Florida has been able to pay down $7.6 billion in state debt and increase general revenues by more than 30 percent without raising taxes, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and city leaders announced yet another proposed round of burdensome tax and fee increases just last week. This follows the state legislature passing an increase to the state income tax earlier this summer- overriding Governor Rauner’s veto and strict opposition to such a burdensome tax increase. The entire nation needs to follow Florida’s lead- but until then, we will keep calling on businesses to move to Florida.” * Meanwhile, Bernie wrote about the governor’s new ad as well today… Now that Illinois is in competition with many other states to land a second headquarters for Amazon, does it make sense for Rauner to let other governors talk down Illinois to its own voters and beyond? Just asking. It does, said Justin Giorgio, a spokesman for the Rauner campaign. “With entrenched Democrats like Mike Madigan at the helm, Governor Rauner has vowed to pull out all the stops to make change in Illinois,” Giorgio said. “That includes having three successful governors help make his point that Illinois has to change and we need to get rid of Mike Madigan in order to grow.” *** UPDATE 1 *** DGA… After bashing Illinois’ economy for three years as governor, Bruce Rauner launched his reelection campaign by teaming up with out-of-state governors to attack Illinois’ economy. Rauner’s new ad skirts over the fact he’s been governor since 2015 and deflects any responsibilities for his failures. Just hours later, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced he would come to Chicago in an attempt to lure away jobs. Gov. Scott parroted Rauner’s campaign message and joined in bashing Illinois’ economy – all while calling on companies to set up shop in Florida. Scott praised Gov. Rauner, without mentioning his two-year budget crisis, and said states need to follow Florida’s lead “but until then, we will keep calling on businesses to move to Florida.” Scott wrote “That is why I will be leading an economic development mission to Chicago to meet with site selectors and job creators and encourage them to move to and invest in Florida.” All of this begs the question – is Governor Rauner okay with this? “Bruce Rauner’s campaign message is being used by out-of-state governors to steal Illinois jobs,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner may think it’s a good reelection strategy to highlight the lack of job growth under his failed leadership, but now his rhetoric could hurt middle-class workers even more. Rauner needs to stop putting his reelection before the needs of Illinois families.” *** UPDATE 2 *** Pritzker campaign… Florida Governor Rick Scott is in Chicago today openly poaching Illinois companies and badmouthing the state. But where is Bruce Rauner? Sitting by idly and letting it happen on his watch. The State Journal Register put it this way: “Now that Illinois is in competition with many other states to land a second headquarters for Amazon, does it make sense for Rauner to let other governors talk down Illinois to its own voters and beyond? Just asking.” “Just a day after Bruce Rauner invited three neighboring governors to bash the state he’s supposed to lead on TV, Rauner is letting yet another Republican governor take a swing at Illinois,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “This failed governor has given up on growing our economy and is doubling down on his mission to drive the state’s reputation into the ground.” - Posted by Rich Miller

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