Chris Christie to Pluck Business from Illinois

posted at 9:24 am on January 14, 2011 by Jazz Shaw

It’s tough to read a story about New Jersey Governor Chris Christie without a smile on my face these days. Even as he continues to go after public unions, waste in government and tax and spenders with a fireman’s ax, he apparently won’t pass up an opportunity to grow the Garden State out of its fiscal woes. No sooner had the Illinois state government signed their own death warrant by jacking up both personal and business taxes this week than Christie came up with a way to “help” out the Land of Lincoln.

“I’m going to Illinois,” Mr. Christie said in an interview on Wednesday. “I mean soon. I’m going to Illinois, personally, and going to start talking to businesses in Illinois and get them to come to New Jersey.”

As the Times article points out, it won’t be an easy sell. While Christie is beginning to shove New Jersey’s government in the right direction, their taxes are still fairly high and the state still ranks as one of the less attractive places to do business. (They’re not at the bottom of the barrel, though. That dubious title is held here in New York.)

Earlier this week when I advised Illinois residents to pack up and move to Texas, perhaps I spoke too soon? Dip me in ranch dressing if I ever thought I’d see the day when I’d be typing these words, but maybe they should move to… Jersey?

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