South Central Reporter

Republican state Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Effingham) is warning colleagues in Springfield of what could be in store for Illinois if lawmakers don’t rein in special interests.

“Unions don’t create jobs,” Wilhour said during a speech from the House floor. “Special interests pandering may create campaign contributions, but they don’t create jobs and it perpetuates an environment we have right now where too many families don’t have real opportunities. The special interests pushing this bill have controlled this General Assembly for decades. How are working people doing in those decades where they’ve had control?”

Wilhour wonders where all the special interest proponents were when the private sector economy was struggling so mightily the impact was trickling down to workers.

“You want to help workers in this state? How about we display an end to fiscal insanity,” he said.

In the meantime, Wilhour said he stays motivated by the thought of what could be.  

“If we set the special interests aside and prioritized opportunity and quality of life for the people of Illinois, we could have an economic giant in this state,” he said. “A strong economy with real long- term viability that has respect for the balance of power between labor and job creators is an environment for investment. Without investment there is no economic opportunity.Economic empowerment is impossible, especially in poor communities.”

With the state already slated to lose a congressional seat because of a dwindling population, the two sides are also at odds over how best to slow the exodus.

Prairie State Wire reported that thousands of residents have been moving out of the state, mostly millennials in search of better job opportunities and housing.

State Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Litchfield) said she hopes her colleagues come to internalize the numbers for what she thinks they truly represent.

"Unfortunately, these results don't come as much of a surprise," she told the Metro East Sun. "I want to reiterate that we were the only one of our neighbors to have lost population and we are also one of our only neighbors to have had these kinds of job-killing policies in our state."