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Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his staff have spoken with United Airlines officials who have assured them the company isn’t planning to move its headquarters from Illinois. United’s purchase of a large chunk of land in Denver for a flight-training facility — and its recently filed plans that also include the prospect of a large corporate campus — set off alarms that the company’s headquarters might be in play.
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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What would be the potential revenue loss to Illinois if United moved its headquarters? I see no figures presented using a search.
I’m guessing United is looking at leaving because of the cost of being at O’hare/Chicago. JB called United and said I’ll get Brandon in line, I won’t let him squeeze you. Now JB calls Brandon and explains he better lay off of United or next time Brandon wants some sweetheart CTU legislation signed it won’t happen. So now that Brandon knows that United Airlines and the Financial Services Tax are off the table he find another target. Who’s that going to be????
What type of incentives were given under the table for them to stay? There are always “Incentives” except for Ken Griffin whose money helped in the past any opposition to JB. There was no reason for JB to keep him in Illinois and his $27B or so. He would have helped finance a decent candidate if he stayed so now Florida benefits.
When Griffin pancaked JB’s massive income tax increase like a Bears DT, that probably was it.
Bingo and I think JB is happier with Griffin gone. Griffin, to me, offered common sense opposition to Pritzker’s plans for the future. Pritzker knows he can not overcome the simple common sense of private sector working Illinoisans so the more that leave the happier he gets.
Yes, he is much happier with Griffin gone. There’s no place for opposition in a progressive utopia. I can’t stress this enough: JB is not driven by money – he was born with it. He’s not driven by women – look at his wife. He’s not driven by luxury – dude gorges himself on fast food and other junk. He’s not driven by Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, because everything is taken care of. He’s only driven by Nietzsche’s will to power. He only wants power and he’s willing to use his billions to achieve it. And like a naive SOB,… Read more »
Tyrants like Gov. Fat Fuq are exactly why we were set up as a Republic of states. The leftists, commies and fascists can only flourish in the states that let them. It’s why they want to do away with the electoral college, defund the local police forces and replace with a federal force, its why they want nationalized everything – central control. IL may go down the toilet thank God but let that be a lesson for the other 49.
Except the Pritzker’s of the country are winning and leading. Feckless young voters buy into the rhetoric.
Just remember, from another of my posts today, Illinois voters are the foundational cause for tolerating this nonsense and ironically are the consequential victims of it as well.
Griffin’s problem, and really, Illinois’s problem, is that no one other than JB is willing to commit $300,000,000 to finance a state governor’s campaign. Griffin spent $50,000,000 on Irvin’s campaign and then cut his losses. JB might see the $300,000,000 and double down and spend $600,000,000 if the Republicans somehow managed to spend $300,000,000. It’s an arms race where JB has virtually unlimited funds. The man is worth several billion dollars and given his life expectancy with his BMI (55) and age (55), he’ll never be able to spend all of it in a lifetime. He doesn’t care. And there’s… Read more »
There has NOT been an accounting of Covid monies – JB and the Pritzkers benefited significantly.
Maybe, however, I think there comes a point with a guy like JB doesn’t care about money. COVID wasn’t about money to JB. What’s an extra billion going to do for him? He didn’t earn any of this money, he inherited it from his grandfather who made all the money. He’s not like Griffin or Buffet who is looking for the next deal, the next buck to be made. The dude spent $300M of his own money just on a campaign for an office that pays a couple of hundred grand a years. None of his actions are about money.… Read more »
I disagree – deep down JB is a grubby money counter. Look no further than ‘toiletgate’. My own estimates are that his companies made +$100M profit off the Covid testing.
Fair enough, no one really knows what goes through his mind, only he knows. We can only judge him by his actions.
Yes, you can keep most companies in your state if you throw enough taxpayer-funded incentives at those companies. However, leaders who responsibly manage their state’s finances should have thresholds in place to not abuse their taxpayers.
I agree with United, DEN airport area is a better location – plenty of room there for a ‘greenfield’ development. Let’s face it, Chicago and ORD ain’t what they used to be and it appears to be only getting worse. Public companies have to compete and make profits for investors. Besides, Pritzker said there are plenty of companies wanting to relocate to the Chicago area for access to late term abortions.
JB, the Baltimore Colts moved in the middle of the night. United might just up and fly away. Kinda like moving plumbing fixtures around…..