DCEO's Jack Lavin unveiled hints of what's to come in the governor's "Opportunity Returns" economic plan for the Chicago region.
The long-awaited “Opportunity
Returns” program, Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s economic development program for 10
regions around the state, should arrive in Chicago in May or June. And it should
be worth the wait, said Jack Lavin, director of the Department of Commerce and
Economic Opportunity.
Lavin,
who addressed nearly 600
guests at the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce’s “Local to Global” annual
dinner on Jan. 29, 2004, spoke at length about the administration’s
“Opportunity Returns” rollout and how it will impact south suburban communities
and business. Gov. Blagojevich’s team has broken the state into 10 regions
because a “one-size-fits-all approach won’t work,” he said.
Even though the Chicago region projects have
yet to be unveiled, Lavin highlighted how DCEO had already been
involved in Southland efforts, working to re-open the shuttered Calumet Steel in
Chicago Heights, and awarding more than $130,000 in Digital Divide grants to
local community tech centers. He cited the Southland’s Healthcare Forum to train more
healthcare workers as an opportunity to partner with DCEO on their Critical Skills
Shortage Initiative. State funding for job training directly for small businesses, as
well as supporting consortium job training efforts, is necessary, Lavin
said.
He congratulated the
Village of Bridgeview on securing the new stadium for the Chicago Fire soccer
franchise, and promised his office would continue to work with local manufacturers there
to capitalize on investment. Lavin went on to praise the Southland’s new
Pool Bond program, saying it was a unique economic development tool, and
pledged continued collaboration between the Illinois Trade Office and the Chamber with foreign
trade ventures.
In addition, he
hinted at an imminent announcement that Ford that would add some 300 jobs soon,
helping grow the economy of the region.
The strategy with
“Opportunity Returns” is to develop
a plan with specific actions
for each region. Lavin
previewed what DCEO
is focusing on:
- Infrastructure projects — specifically,
transportation and sewer and water projects;
- Manufacturing modernization — including incentive
programs to small and mid-size businesses to improve competitiveness and
efficiencies;
- Workforce development initiatives — especially those
that result in job creation;
- Brownfield redevelopment and remediation — such as was
done at the Ford plant and Joliet Arsenal; and
- Creative use of existing programs including EDGE (Economic Development for
a Growing Economy), CDAP (Community Development Assistance Program) and the
Enterprise Zone Financing Program.
Lavin concluded by raising awareness of the
Illinois Opportunity Fund, saying it was the state’s top economic development
priority this legislative session, with venture capital and $200 million in funds critical to
keeping Illinois competitive. It is imperative to get the project moving, he
said, because the state is already behind Iowa and Michigan in this area.