Springfield, IL… State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) joined business and labor communities Wednesday, May 22 in Springfield during a press conference to call on the Governor and lawmakers to pass legislation that would create tax incentives for the state’s data center industry, bring high-paying trade labor union jobs to Illinois, and create greater economic opportunities and additional revenue streams for Illinois’ communities.
The Senate has already unanimously passed Senate Bill 1591 in an effort to expand the economic growth and job creation numbers the state has seen already from the industry, all while protecting taxpayers if a company does not meet certain requirements.
“Illinois must be a top competitor when it comes to attracting employers in the tech industry to our state,” said State Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris). “What we are proposing is in line with what other states around us are already doing. Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have recognized the importance of this legislation and the positive impacts it would have on our economy. I encourage lawmakers in the House to also consider this legislation so that we can bring high-paying jobs to Illinois and create more economic opportunities.”
Data centers, which are critical infrastructure facilities that store, process and distribute large amounts of data for a wide range of industries, generated approximately $321.7 million in state and local revenue in 2017. Additionally, Illinois boasted 31,500 high-paying jobs within this industry, as well as $54.1 million in construction labor income for 820 workers. With the addition of incentives, Illinois expects to see those investment and job numbers grow.
A recent study published by Mangum Economics for the Illinois and Chicagoland Chamber Foundations found that tax incentives were an important factor in data center development and have been passed in 30 states, including neighboring states. The study found that from June 2017 to June 2018 Chicago’s data center market lagged behind other states and only grew seven percent. In contrast, states and cities with incentives experienced much higher growth rates, such as:
- The Phoenix market, which grew 26 percent;
- The Northern Virginia market, which grew 16 percent; and
- The Atlanta market, which grew 12 percent.
Wednesday’s press conference was organized by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
