Issue Position: Jobs

Issue Position

Promoting growth of jobs that pay at least a living wage in Champaign Urbana will be one of Carol's top priorities in Springfield. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics April 2014 report, Champaign-Urbana has an unemployment rate of 7.9% surpassing the National Rate of 6.3%. Beginning in 2008 the United States experienced its deepest recession since The Great Depression, and Champaign-Urbana lost many jobs as a result.

We need to invest in job creation and job training programs to meet the needs of today's employers. Carol will work with her 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 and work to identify opportunities to recruit other large employers into our community. As State Representative Carol's focus will be to help grow our local economy to revitalize our communities, protect the right of workers to join unions, and expand economic prosperity.

Small businesses, including microbusiness (up to 5 employees), are an engine of job growth in this economy and should play a greater role in job creation for local communities. In 2011 small businesses accounted for 26 million jobs in the U.S. economy. To grow jobs, we need to look at a combination of large and small business development. As State Representative, Carol will work with the Small Business Administration and the Association for Enterprise Opportunity to create legislation that will support the growth of micro-businesses in the 103rd District.

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