by: Michael Lucci

CEOs of major U.S. corporations went on record in Chief Executive Magazine’s “2014 Best and Worst States for Business.”  Business leaders pulled no punches in their description of Illinois, going so far as to compare doing business in Illinois to doing business in a third-world country.

The publication ranked Illinois at the bottom of the pile, at 48^th of the 50 states. But the real highlights come from the CEO comments.

As one CEO pointed out:

“Corruption and union pensions have made Illinois a poor alternative for business. Continually avoiding to address and fix the problems have only exacerbated the situation. More conservative states are easier to work in and with.”

That comment alludes to states such as Texas, which ranked first overall, and Indiana, which ranked sixth overall. Illinoisans are piling into Texas and Indiana, and those states embrace opportunity, growth and job creation.

And business leaders weren’t just looking out for corporate culture. Another CEO pointed out how Illinois stifles small business:

“Illinois is rated in the worst category; their taxing scheme is deleterious toward small business…The Illinois House assembly is inept in addressing the hard issues…they are a taxing and spending machine with little regard to the consequences and impacts to its citizens and businesses.”

Illinoisans need look no further than the spike in the unemployment rate after the 2011 income tax hikes and the tepid job creation since then to see how tax-and-spend policies have failed Illinoisans.

The final blow came from the article’s third CEO commentary:

“Illinois is a horrendous state in which to do business. It is governed by a class of incompetent, corrupt politicians. It’s like doing business in a third-world country.”

– See more at: http://www.illinoispolicy.org/ceos-sound-off-on-illinois-business-climate/#sthash.iIkFpXxd.dpuf

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ael Lucci