Congressman Bobby Rush’s ‘bridge to our future’ is a bridge to nowhere

The Sun-Times recently published an op-ed from U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush claiming Illinois is one “bridge” away from 10,000 permanent, living wage jobs.

If we believe all the hype in his letter and similar campaigns, this “bridge to our future” — a logistics hub in Joliet — will bring much-needed jobs to residents and increased tax revenues for the state. U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, U.S. Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Rush all seem devoted to guiding people across this “bridge.”

I suggest these politicians jump off this bridge before they lead Illinois to yet another undesirable destination of unfulfilled promises.

While some of these projected jobs will go to truck drivers and organized labor, the majority will go to warehouse workers, a job that rarely pays a living wage. In fact, a December 2020 survey of existing related jobs in the same geographic area found that “56% (of respondents) made less than $15 an hour, 49% had no health insurance and another 20% rely on public programs for health insurance.”

Are these the kind of jobs that will close the inequality gap?

Saying this project is in Rep. Rush’s district is like saying most of Lake Michigan’s shoreline is in Chicago. Seventy percent of the constituents in Illinois’ 1^st Congressional District reside in Chicago. Would they agree we are closing the inequality gap with jobs offering less than $15 an hour located nearly 60 miles from their homes?

I agree with Rep. Rush that Illinois needs a strong, sustained tax base through meaningful investments. This project is not one of those investments. Many area municipalities, politicians, veterans, environmental groups and grassroots efforts have consistently exposed weaknesses in this “bridge to our future,” resulting in repeatedly and successfully turning the developer away.

There are better jobs and higher goals that demand this level of attention.

Gov. Pritzker, I support your intent to keep control within local municipalities where it belongs. Rep. Rush, this campaign for a “bridge to our future” is really a bridge to nowhere.

Kevin Grundhofer, Elwood

Illinois must up its game on climate change

Thank you for your editorial on Biden’s bold climate-change plan.

The new U.S. pledge of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 does not mean Illinois can now sit back. To the contrary, as one of the largest states, we need to be a big part of the change.

In a press release from Gov. Pritzker on Thursday, he noted our state was committed to the 24% to 26% cut the U.S. pledged in the Paris Agreement. Already that is obsolete. President Biden has moved the goalposts, and we must up our game here if we hope to avoid disaster, both worldwide and in Illinois.

We can do that by passing the Clean Energy Jobs Act before the General Assembly session ends May 31. CEJA not only pledges to cut emissions 100% by 2050 but will do so in an equitable way so that everyone benefits.

Cynthia Linton, Streeterville