By Dave Dahl
The economic news for Illinois is mostly good, with the unemployment rate the lowest in almost twenty years. And the state rate is now almost exactly the national rate, four years after being separated by more than a full percentage point.
All of which, plus strong consumer confidence, leads University of Illinois economist Fred Giertz to say things are pretty good. Giertz authors the Flash Index, a weighted average of consumer spending, corporate earnings, and personal income. The index ticked up one tenth of a point for September, to 105.2.
“The economy has a life of its own. Illinois is still a prosperous state, with above average income per capita,” Giertz says. And while Gov. Bruce Rauner has bad-mouthed Illinois’ economy since he got into the governor’s race more than four years ago, Giertz says the growth continues with virtually none of the governor’s agenda – which you might characterize as “pro-business, anti-union” – taking place.
Dave Dahl can be reached at [email protected]
