September 01st, 2014

Jelly Belly is moving out of Illinois! Although the North Chicago factory is not completely closing down (not yet anyway), "Jelly Belly" jelly beans will no longer be produced there. The company which started in North Chicago over 100 years ago is "restructuring" with its "workforce reduction announcement" - meaning 70 people will lose their jobs. 
So are the famous jelly beans going to be made at the Pleasant Prairie facility? No, that location is really a visitor center and warehouse (no production), which gives out free tours and samples. They're going to be made at the company's California factory. California?! I thought California had its problems too. You know it's bad, when a company moves their operations to tax-burdened California! Can Illinois be worse?
What's really going on here? Producing "Jelly Belly" beans in North Chicago and Illinois in general isn't "economically viable" any more. Economically viable? Jelly Belly is one of 9 Chicago-area businesses laying off workers (over 700 total), in just the first half of August! Overall many businesses have left or have plans to leave because of being burdened financially. Many are moving to Wisconsin or Indiana and saving a lot of money!
It seems that Illinois is driving them out... certainly not attracting them!  In 2011, Illinois raised its income tax to 67% and made its corporate income tax highest in the nation!! One business owner said that he would want to stay in Illinois, but the government is doing nothing to keep businesses here. In fact, he said that the government is only putting hurdles in their way. Does the Illinois government think they can overtax and levy fees with no repercussions?! Companies can save hundreds of thousands of dollars every year in workman's comp alone by just moving next door! Illinois has lost between $5 - $7 billion in revenue in the last 4 years by this migration of businesses. It's becoming a mass exodus! 
And that's not all. A new Gallup poll was taken this year of the percentage of people who want to leave their state and guess who was on top? You guessed it... Illinois with a whopping 50%. Worst in the nation! That means half the people want out! It's not just businesses either that are looking to move, it's Illinois workers as well! And it's no wonder... you'll have more of your own money if you do move out! 

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