Private equity investor Governor Bruce Rauner often says his goal is to make Illinois more competitive. At a recent speech to business owners, he sang Illinois' praises.
He says the state has the hardest working people, the best location and the most fertile farms. The president of Wiley Office Furniture, Zach Hoffman, agrees with Rauner.
"Why aren't we the destination state for the Midwest? By every objective measure we should be leading, if not the country, at least the Midwest. So that would be something, a deserved title that we should have as a state, and he seems to be pushing us in that direction."
Hoffman is wary of the governor's pledge to raise the minimum wage to ten dollars over the next seven years. He sees it as a compromise. Hoffman says he wouldn't be opposed to it if it's combined with Rauner's other proposals like changing workers' compensation.
Rauner has long said the only way he'll go along with that minimum wage hike is if it's in tandem with his other pro-business plans.