INDIANAPOLIS | With future tax increases likely the only solution to Illinois' budget and public pension woes, Indiana once again is asking Illinois companies if they've had enough.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. this week retooled its successful "Illinnoyed?" advertising campaign and is now asking Prairie State companies if they are "Still Illinnoyed?"
"The business climate in Illinois just keeps going down, there's so much politics involved," said IEDC spokeswoman Katelyn Hancock. "It's just really expensive to do business there."
The IEDC is spending approximately $50,000 on print and digital ads in Illinois business publications in the next two weeks to persuade Illinois companies they would be better off across the state line.
The original "Illinnoyed?" billboards and media ads that ran this spring and summer helped convince 16 Illinois companies to move to Indiana, bringing an estimated 1,500 new jobs and $305 million in new investment to the state, Hancock said.
That includes the move of a Canadian National Railway Co. yard to Gary from Homewood, and the relocation of Modern Drop Forge to Merrillville from Blue Island, Ill.
The Northwest Indiana Forum, a region economic development group, is working with the IEDC on the "Still Illinnoyed?" project.