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Gilster-Mary Lee hosts business roundtable

Posted August 18, 2015 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Staff Writer

A variety of local and regional business leaders attended a roundtable discussion on Tuesday at Gilster-Mary Lee in Chester that featured representatives from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

The question-and-answer session covered a variety of topics, including motor fuel tax funds, the sales tax exemption on farm equipment, enterprise zones, the proposed minimum wage increase and providing for quality medical treatment at the area's hospitals.

Attending the meeting from DCEO were Executive Director Jim Schultz and Private Secretary Brett Schubert. Schultz was appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner in February and selected for his 30 years of experience in agribusiness and as a banking entrepreneur.

Schultz stated he was commissioned by Rauner to "bring jobs back" and "rebrand the state," while telling those in attendance that the state has lost 250,000 jobs since 2008.

"Before I rebrand something, I need something to sell," he said. "Right now, I don't have anything to sell."

Schultz highlighted some areas in which he felt Illinois has the resources to be competitive with its neighboring states, including logistics, farmland and manufacturing.

Andy Kirchner, president of NOTS Logistics, a warehouse and transportation service based in Nashville, Ill., asked Schultz what the realistic picture was of the state's business climate.

"We play defense all the time," Kirchner said. "We don't get to play offense with our state or the other states around us."

Schultz said Rauner is "prepared to negotiate" with the Democrat-led state legislature and referred to the governor as a "win-win negotiator."

"I don't think the Chicago power machine realizes what they're doing to this state," he said, later adding that he doesn't think that the state's budget impasse will be resolved in the next 60 days.

Kirchner expressed concerns about recruiting customers to Illinois when there does not seem to be enough incentives.

"You can't get people to want to be here," he said.

Kirchner stated it felt like the situation was "sliding away faster than we think it is."

"I think (Rauner's) intentions are pure and he wants this state to be the great state it can be," Schultz said.

Chester Mayor Tom Page asked about Rauner's proposal to cut income tax revenue to help the state balance the budget. Currently, 8 percent of Illinois income tax money goes toward municipal governments.

Rauner has proposed to cut that percentage in half.

"Withholding 50 percent of the city's portion of the income tax will kill us," Page said. "I really hope that's spaghetti being thrown at the wall and seeing what sticks and what doesn't."

Randolph County Commissioner Ronnie White said two-thirds of the questions he receives are regarding the status of the roads in the county.

A topic discussed in response to that concern was the proposed increase of the state's gasoline tax, which has remained at 19 cents per gallon since 1990. That is on top of the federal rate, which has been unchanged since 1993, of 18.4 cents.

The state also charges a 6.25 percent sales tax on gas.

Page said he would like the state's transportation officials to drive the county's roads to see what they're like. He also brought up the recently-approved turn lane project for the intersection of Opdyke and State streets.

"It will be a huge improvement," Page said. "It's more than a band aid, I think it will be a good fix."

Gilster-Mary President Don Welge shared concerns about workman's compensation, minimum wage and the higher cost of Illinois employees compared to Missouri.

"We've got to work to get Illinois into a situation where we start attracting industry," Welge said.

Schultz and Schubert promised to bring the concerns back to Springfield for analysis. No timeline was given on when feedback would be returned.

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