State Rep. Walker Backs Keep Illinois Business Act

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Committed to working to keep jobs in Illinois, state Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, is backing a proposal that would return taxpayer-funded incentives to the state if a business that received them decides to ship jobs out of state or overseas.

“Attracting business to Illinois is a major priority of mine, and so is ensuring good-paying jobs remain in our state,” Walker said. “It simply isn’t fair to our state and to us as taxpayers that we would provide tax breaks to businesses that decide to ship jobs out of Illinois.”

Walker is backing House Bill 838, known as the “Keep Illinois Business Act,” which would require any business that has received state economic development assistance to pay back those credits if it decides to move out of state. The bill specifically targets grants like those given under the EDGE Act and the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act.

“Grants and credits are given to companies in good faith when they choose to invest in our people and communities,” Walker added. “We have to continue to promote small business reforms that make Illinois more attractive for entrepreneurs, but those incentives need to be used properly to grow and develop our local economy.”