Illinois Governor Assesses Southern Illinois Prospects

Southern Illinoisans are frightened about their economic security. They fear their economy may not bear much economic fruit in coming years, and they are probably right, if things continue on the same path they've been on.

"This is the part of the state where the sense among the people of economic fear, the fear of the future, economic insecurity a sense that they might not be able to hold on to their job or that they can't get a job is more palpable here than anywhere else." That is the analysis of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who finishes a week in Southern Illinois today coinciding nearly with the run of the Du Quoin State Fair.

In an appearance before The Southern Illinoisan Editorial Board, Blagojevich laid out plans that he hopes will improve the conditions in the region that chronically trails other areas of the state in its rates of poverty and employment.

"The numbers bare out the fear people have, so yes, it's very real," Blagojevich said. He said his strategy to improve the economy of Southern Illinois contains several elements:

Back Southern Illinois University as an economic engine for the region.

Support tax breaks for the coal industry and for clean coal technology.

Encourage tourism in the region such as the Southern Illinois Wine Trail, on the rivers and a new trapshooting complex unveiled last week in Sparta. He suggested a NASCAR racing project might even be possible.

He says he wants a venture capital fund that would use tax breaks to drum up money for business ventures in economically depressed areas of the state. He promised a venture capital fund during his gubernatorial campaign.

The Southern Illinois economy has come to depend heavily on prison jobs as the coal industry declined throughout the 1990s and successive Republican governor's built prisons in the region.

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