Illinois remains second worst for joblessness

Illinois’ jobless rate remained stuck at 8.7 percent for the month of February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Illinois remains the only state in the Midwest with a higher jobless rate today than when Gov. Pat Quinn took office. When Quinn took office, the jobless rate was 8 percent. The state gained 6,400...

Illinois’ jobless rate remained stuck at 8.7 percent for the month of February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Illinois remains the only state in the Midwest with a higher jobless rate today than when Gov. Pat Quinn took office. When Quinn took office, the jobless rate was 8 percent.

The state gained 6,400 payroll jobs after losing 27,600 payroll jobs in January.

In January, Illinois and Nevada were tied for the second-worst jobless rate in the country. In February, however, Nevada’s jobless rate fell to 8.5 percent, while Illinois showed no improvement.

Now, Illinois alone has the second-worst jobless rate in the country. Only Rhode Island is worse with a jobless rate of 9 percent.

Compared to the rest of the Midwest, Illinois still sticks out for having the highest jobless rate.

Without serious economic reform that includes unleashing entrepreneurship from its regulatory shackles, lowering taxes on small businesses and controlling workers’ compensation costs, Illinois will continue to lag nationally.

But the governor and Illinois General Assembly refuse to confront the structural problems of Illinois’ economy.

Instead, they’re focus on raising the minimum wage, which will hurt young and unskilled workers. And they’ve proposed seven different small business tax structures, which causes chaos for small businesses and makes them look for more a more stable state.

In other words, state government is promoting policies that will destroy more jobs. If we continue on this path, Illinois will soon have the worst joblessness in the nation.