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Good Jobs First-Illinois |
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Launched in September 2001 with a grant from the Woods Fund, Good Jobs First-Illinois is a joint project of Good Jobs First and the Illinois-based Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. After a year of extensive interviews with community, labor, and research organizations, extensive archival research and analysis of state documents, Good Jobs First-Illinois in January 2003 released A Better Deal for Illinois. This widely publicized critique of over two decades of state incentive use and abuse gave impetus to the citizen-labor coalition that won major subsidy reform legislation later that year. Good Jobs First-Illinois supported the coalition with technical assistance and "best practice" research. In February 2006 Good Jobs First-Illinois published the first analysis of data disclosed under the subsidy law. As noted in our summary, we found that state agencies have frequently that subsidized low-wage jobs that would not support a bare-bones family budget. Illinois disclosure data can now be searched online at: http://corpacctportal.illinois.gov/ Good Jobs First-Illinois has also provided research and technical assistance to efforts to link state business subsidies to access to affordable housing and mass transit. It has also provided technical assistance and research to support labor and community organizations opposed to Wal-Mart's attempts to enter Chicago neighborhoods. The project has also conducted trainings in subsidy research for labor unions and community groups, given testimony before Illinois legislative committees and Chicago city council, and made presentations to a wide range of community, government, and advocacy organizations. Linking Jobs to Transit, Housing Click here for our initial report on subsidy disclosures. Click here for a summary of A Better Deal for Illinois. Click here for a description of the Illinois corporate subsidy accountability law. Click here for a description of efforts to make state corporate subsidies "location efficient." Click here to read Good Jobs First-Illinois testimony on Wal-Mart before Illinois Senate Labor and Commerce Committee. Click here for profiles of groups Good Jobs First-Illinois works with. For more information contact:
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