My children have a pinball game that they love to play.  When the pinball falls into a small hole, a digital voice says, "Here it comes!" before pitching the ball back out of the hole at a fast speed.

Well, here in Illinois, business owners are quickly becoming the pinball for state politicians.

In the 1990's, Illinois developed Enterprise Zones to encourage the creation and expansion of new factories.  Buildings built in these enterprise zones qualified for tax breaks on the cost of materials purchased for construction.  The incentives were sufficient to attract new businesses to Illinois. 

Now comes the Illinois State Legislature with two separate bills to require that any construction done in these Enterprise Zones be built at "Prevailing Wages".  You've read comments on the Prevailing wage here before. 

This measure would necessarily increase the cost of construction in Illinois' Industrial Parks by at least 30%-50%.  Such an increase would dramatically reduce the likelihood that firms would expand or relocate to Illinois.  Essentially, the law would turn an economic carrot into an economic stick to most manufacturing businesses in the state.

I'm afraid that one party rule in Illinois is quickly turning businesses into just another pinball for our government's amusement.