Latest news with #AndyManar
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pritzker's point man on budget confident deficit will be solved
Illinois state lawmakers have a little more than two months to deliver a balanced budget. It's a big challenge given they started the legislative session facing a projected shortfall of more than $3 billion. Governor JB Pritzker delivered his budget proposal in February citing better than expected revenues to shore up some of the deficit. Then last month the state's general assembly's Commission on Budget Forecasting reported that revenues will be almost $750 million lower than the governor indicated in his budget address. So far Democrats in Springfield aren't hitting the panic button. This figured to be a tough legislative session for Illinois state lawmakers because of the budget deficit. The deadline for answers is June 30 before the next fiscal year starts on July 1. One man very close to those talks is Illinois Deputy Governor Andy Manar. He is Governor Pritzker's point man on the budget and economy and joins host Jim Niedelman for a conversation. 'He knows how to do this work and his agencies managed through difficult times and that might be a little bit harder this year because of what's happening nationally with the economy, but certainly the Governor hasn't lost sight of that focus,' Manar said. To hear more, click on the video. Local 4 News, your local election headquarters, is proud to present , a weekly news and public affairs program focused on the issues important to you. It's a program unlike any other here in the Quad Cities. Tune in each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. as brings you up to speed on what's happening in the political arena, from Springfield, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and right here at home. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Illinois hits new high in employment numbers
Springfield, Ill. (WCIA) – Most states depend on employment to function and progress. The state of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has been pushing for more job training and development programs after investing $13 million to boost the workforce in healthcare to manufacturing in 2023. Now the state has reached a new milestone. The Illinois Department of Employment Security announced that it reached an all-time high in employment. More people are working, which is good news for Illinoisans and companies. 'Every cone, every sign, every worker counts:' Illinois honors Work Zone Awareness Week Last month, the state saw more than 140,000 new jobs added in schools, hospitals, stores, factories, and offices. That means 6,172,300 jobs were available, beating the previous record which was 6,161,000 in December 2024. Deputy Governor Andy Manar said this shows the impact of committing to creating jobs in the state. 'Working and doing business in Illinois pays off,' Manar said. 'The new high in job growth underscores the resolve of our state labor force. Today's data is a marked bright spot for the Illinois labor market, its workers, and employers.' In recent months, the government sector saw the highest boost in jobs, with 4,500 positions, followed by transportation and healthcare. However, IT and financial sector jobs saw a decrease in payrolls. Unemployment is still present, even with the good news. However, the unemployment rate remains the same with around 300,000 people without jobs. The same 4.8 percent rate since February. Illinois's unemployment rate has remained 4.8 percent since February, slower compared to the national 4.2 percent rate. However the new record shows steady improvement in the job market for the state. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
