Today the Illinois Policy Institute released a new report looking at the employment rate for minorities in Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security, or IDES, employment for black and Latino males in Illinois is near an all-time low.
According to IDES:
- The employment rate for African American or black males has fallen more than 10 percent since 2006.
- For Hispanic or Latino men the employment rate has dropped by more than 8 percent.
In the past several months, much of the political debate has been focused on divisive statements and campaign gimmicks rather than policy solutions and Illinoisans who are directly affected by the state’s struggling economy.
In fact, on the same day the Illinois Policy Institute released a study showing that black and Latino male employment rates in Illinois are stuck near the lowest level in recorded history, Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign released a desperate political attack. The governor called the Institute, which has been one of the most vocal critics of his record on jobs, “racist.” The statement is unfounded, disappointing and wrong. Illinoisans deserve better from their governor.
Illinois ranks dead last out of all 50 states in job creation during the recession era, and median household income has fallen more than $6,500 since 2007.
Illinoisans are desperate to find a job that allows them to support their family. Instead of leveraging Democratic supermajorities in Springfield to advance policies that will give Illinoisans the opportunity to go back to work, Gov. Quinn is attempting to distract from his failed record.
“The goal for our elected officials and state leaders should be to provide opportunities for all Illinoisans,” said Illinois Policy Institute CEO John Tillman. “Illinois politicians need to focus on how to truly reform Illinois to make us a leader for jobs and productivity. We should all be trying to build bridges and working together to better Illinois; not driving wedges just to gain votes”
The full report on how minority employment has struggled in Illinois is available online here: http://www.illinoispolicy.org/minority-employment-tanks-under-quinn/