Job Numbers in Illinois Heading in Wrong Direction

Sorry to end the week on a down note, but there is bad news to report on the jobs picture in Pat Quinn's Illinois.

The month of January marked two straight months of job losses in the Land of Lincoln. After losing about 4,000 jobs in December, Illinois dropped almost 28,000 more in January:

As the Illinois Policy Institute points out:

The number of payroll jobs today is the same as it was in November of 1997. Job losses were heaviest in trade, transportation and utilities, professional and business services, and leisure and hospitality. Construction showed modest jobs growth.

The unemployment rate declined from 8.9 percent to 8.7 percent, which sounds like good news. However, considering the job losses, it's likely the jobless number declined only because of a drop in the labor force.

So in Pat Quinn's Illinois, not only are we bleeding jobs, we're bleeding people to other states as well. People leaving for better opportunities and greener pastures.

And in doesn't look like March is getting off to a good start. News comes today that Illinois employers are planning for at least 1,000 layoffs in the coming weeks.

Accretive Health warned it would lay off 148 workers. Graham Packaging gave notice to 170 workers. Passages Hospice said it closed its doors and laid off 88 people. Office Depot, warned it would lay off 54 workers

Oh, and one more thing: Illinois was one of only two states to see its unemployment rate rise through 2013.

The gubernatorial primary in March 18. The general election is November 4.