Ray Drake, Chairman of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, said that Whitley
announced his retirement plans to the Chamber Board today at the board’s quarterly meeting.
“In his 12 years as president and CEO, Doug has transformed the Illinois Chamber into a robust
organization that is well-respected and recognized for its leadership as the unifying statewide
voice of business in Illinois,” Drake said. “As a result of Doug’s initiative, leadership and
management, the Illinois Chamber today has seven policy councils that address the most
important public policy issues, an effective government affairs operation, alliances with the
nation’s leading advocacy organizations and a very capable staff.”
Whitley has a long record of business leadership and expertise in taxation and regulation, which he has earned in a career spanning the public and private sectors. Before joining the Illinois Chamber, Whitley also was:
President of Ameritech Illinois.
Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue during the administration of Governor Jim Edgar.
President of the Taxpayers’ Federation of Illinois
Legislative staff member in the Illinois House of Representatives.
A lifelong Illinois resident, Whitley spent his youth in Atwood, a small, central Illinois farming community of 1,200, where he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.*
Doug Whitley worked to create job growth and economic expansion in Illinois. He exposed the core bureaucratic costs of doing business in the state. This recent article appeared in Crain's Chicago Business and on the Illinois Chamber website.
-----
Why is it so Hard to do Business in Illinois/Chicago?
Why is it so Hard to do Business in Illinois/Chicago?
August 19, 2013
Today's President's Message appears in this week's Crain's Chicago Business as a guest
column on the opinion pages. It was prompted by a column written a few days ago by
Crain's political writer, Greg Hinz. In his column, Hinz exposed the costly burden and
common business frustration imposed upon a private sector investor and job creator who
has plans to open an automobile dealership in Chicago.
I applaud Crain's and Hinz for telling the story and making the experience public. However,
I concluded the litany of governmental failings, scandal and corruption that we have
endured as business minded people, employers, taxpayers and voters should not be
dismissed as simply another story of the day.
Why is it so Hard to do Business in Illinois/Chicago?
The most important issues facing Illinois' elected leaders are unacceptably high
unemployment and the perennial public finance shortfalls exacerbated by a lagging
economy. These are issues that can best be resolved by encouraging and facilitating
private sector investment.
Yet you would not know it by observing our governments' performance. Time and again we
see our reputation as "The City that Works" and our storied connection to "Honest Abe"
besmirched and tarnished.
Two weeks ago we learned a planned multi-million dollar investment to establish a Ford
dealership in Chicago has been frustrated with costly delays from political leverage being
exerted over unrelated business interests. Last week we watched a Congressman and
another Chicago Alderman get sentenced to federal prison.
The frequency of these actions goes to the heart of the Illinois business owner's
frustrations. Why is it so hard to do business in Chicago/Illinois? Ask the Ricketts family
about how easy it is to invest $500 million of private capital to renovate their own property.
Ask WalMart about the barriers of entry into the Chicago market. Chicago politicians stymied the build out of multiple locations, millions in construction investment, hundreds of
jobs and economic opportunity in neighborhoods desperate for fresh food, affordable
products and jobs. Aldermen even concocted special legislation to impose excessive, anticompetitive minimum wage requirements directed solely at the company.
Ask Northwestern University about the ease with which an under utilized property can be
turned into a modern research facility.
Why did ComEd have to struggle with the Governor, the Attorney General and the
Commerce Commission in order to invest $3.5 billion towards introducing a safer, more
efficient, state of the art electric grid to Chicago customers who will benefit from greater
service quality and management of energy usage? How does one not recognize that such
a program equates to equipment purchases from local suppliers, construction work and
new permanent jobs?
Contractors engaged in the construction of the Dan Ryan Expressway and the Englewood
Fly-Over know "winning the low bid" exposes slim margins to further challenges associated
with sub-contractors, minority set asides, excess of bureaucratic reporting and an
occasional congressman's suggestion that a favored party get a contract, too.
Oh, and least we forget...non-union contractors need not apply for the billions of taxpayer
dollars spent on public works by Illinois governments. Illinois taxpayers are oblivious to the
premium.
We saw the University of Illinois suffer a scandal over legislative intrusion and now we
watch the transit boards imploding as cronyism and questionable appointments are
exposed.
Governor Blagojevich thought his "golden" appointments to boards, commissions and the
U.S. Senate were worth millions. And so they were. Edwards Hospital exposed the abuse
of power and corruption at the Health Facilities Planning Board.
So, is every potential investment a shakedown opportunity? Is Illinois governed by threat,
coercion, a union squeeze, a minority hold-up, a double-dip, a no-show job, a kick-back
and a sweetheart deal? Does a successful investor have to employ the "right" law firm, the
"right" lobbyist, the "right" consultant, take care of a family member or precinct worker,
donate to the "right" charities and keep the campaign contributions flowing in order to
accomplish legitimate business objectives?
In Springfield, the General Assembly has taken to approving laws governing business tax policy and the telecommunications industry with short-term termination dates. Not only
does the approach undermine corporate investments for lack of stability and predictability
associated with long-term planning, but the cynic knows the necessity of returning to the
General Assembly for reauthorization contributions.
We regard Chicago as a world-class city. So, like Moscow, we acknowledge the existence
of a mafia, but we elect ours. The taxpayers' tolerance for high cost and inefficient
government is matched only by donors' willingness to pay for it and the voters perpetuating
such political entertainment. It is a high price to pay.
I conclude that Illinois business continues to do well in this state despite the perpetual
failings of our governments. There are many reasons why Illinois is still a good place to live
and do business, but that is content for a future column. Stay tuned.
--- End of article
* Source: Biographical information from Illinois Chamber website. Crain's Chicago Business article as noted
Today's President's Message appears in this week's Crain's Chicago Business as a guest
column on the opinion pages. It was prompted by a column written a few days ago by
Crain's political writer, Greg Hinz. In his column, Hinz exposed the costly burden and
common business frustration imposed upon a private sector investor and job creator who
has plans to open an automobile dealership in Chicago.
I applaud Crain's and Hinz for telling the story and making the experience public. However,
I concluded the litany of governmental failings, scandal and corruption that we have
endured as business minded people, employers, taxpayers and voters should not be
dismissed as simply another story of the day.
Why is it so Hard to do Business in Illinois/Chicago?
The most important issues facing Illinois' elected leaders are unacceptably high
unemployment and the perennial public finance shortfalls exacerbated by a lagging
economy. These are issues that can best be resolved by encouraging and facilitating
private sector investment.
Yet you would not know it by observing our governments' performance. Time and again we
see our reputation as "The City that Works" and our storied connection to "Honest Abe"
besmirched and tarnished.
Two weeks ago we learned a planned multi-million dollar investment to establish a Ford
dealership in Chicago has been frustrated with costly delays from political leverage being
exerted over unrelated business interests. Last week we watched a Congressman and
another Chicago Alderman get sentenced to federal prison.
The frequency of these actions goes to the heart of the Illinois business owner's
frustrations. Why is it so hard to do business in Chicago/Illinois? Ask the Ricketts family
about how easy it is to invest $500 million of private capital to renovate their own property.
Ask WalMart about the barriers of entry into the Chicago market. Chicago politicians stymied the build out of multiple locations, millions in construction investment, hundreds of
jobs and economic opportunity in neighborhoods desperate for fresh food, affordable
products and jobs. Aldermen even concocted special legislation to impose excessive, anticompetitive minimum wage requirements directed solely at the company.
Ask Northwestern University about the ease with which an under utilized property can be
turned into a modern research facility.
Why did ComEd have to struggle with the Governor, the Attorney General and the
Commerce Commission in order to invest $3.5 billion towards introducing a safer, more
efficient, state of the art electric grid to Chicago customers who will benefit from greater
service quality and management of energy usage? How does one not recognize that such
a program equates to equipment purchases from local suppliers, construction work and
new permanent jobs?
Contractors engaged in the construction of the Dan Ryan Expressway and the Englewood
Fly-Over know "winning the low bid" exposes slim margins to further challenges associated
with sub-contractors, minority set asides, excess of bureaucratic reporting and an
occasional congressman's suggestion that a favored party get a contract, too.
Oh, and least we forget...non-union contractors need not apply for the billions of taxpayer
dollars spent on public works by Illinois governments. Illinois taxpayers are oblivious to the
premium.
We saw the University of Illinois suffer a scandal over legislative intrusion and now we
watch the transit boards imploding as cronyism and questionable appointments are
exposed.
Governor Blagojevich thought his "golden" appointments to boards, commissions and the
U.S. Senate were worth millions. And so they were. Edwards Hospital exposed the abuse
of power and corruption at the Health Facilities Planning Board.
So, is every potential investment a shakedown opportunity? Is Illinois governed by threat,
coercion, a union squeeze, a minority hold-up, a double-dip, a no-show job, a kick-back
and a sweetheart deal? Does a successful investor have to employ the "right" law firm, the
"right" lobbyist, the "right" consultant, take care of a family member or precinct worker,
donate to the "right" charities and keep the campaign contributions flowing in order to
accomplish legitimate business objectives?
In Springfield, the General Assembly has taken to approving laws governing business tax policy and the telecommunications industry with short-term termination dates. Not only
does the approach undermine corporate investments for lack of stability and predictability
associated with long-term planning, but the cynic knows the necessity of returning to the
General Assembly for reauthorization contributions.
We regard Chicago as a world-class city. So, like Moscow, we acknowledge the existence
of a mafia, but we elect ours. The taxpayers' tolerance for high cost and inefficient
government is matched only by donors' willingness to pay for it and the voters perpetuating
such political entertainment. It is a high price to pay.
I conclude that Illinois business continues to do well in this state despite the perpetual
failings of our governments. There are many reasons why Illinois is still a good place to live
and do business, but that is content for a future column. Stay tuned.
--- End of article
* Source: Biographical information from Illinois Chamber website. Crain's Chicago Business article as noted
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