Issue Position: Jobs

Issue Position

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics November 2013 report, Champaign-Urbana has an unemployment rate of 8.7% surpassing the National Rate of 7%. Beginning in 2008 the United States experienced its deepest recession since The Great Depression. Champaign-Urbana was not unaffected by the recession and has lost many jobs as a result. We need to work on building solid investment opportunities in job creation and job training programs to meet the needs of today's employers. I will work with my colleagues in Springfield and with the business community to devise a plan for developing greener job training initiatives and programs that seek to increase the competency and skills of people in the workforce who need living wage jobs. We need to increase manufacturing jobs, assist with small to medium size business creation and facilitate growth of renewable energy equipment jobs. I plan to work with local government and business officials to identify opportunities to recruit other large employers into our community. We need to establish an economy that revitalizes our communities, protects the right of workers to join unions, and expands economic prosperity.

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