Christie woos Illinois businesses

Gov. Chris Christie’s administration is launching an advertising campaign to encourage businesses in Illinois to relocate to New Jersey.The radio and newspaper ads stress Christie’s commitment not to raise taxes in the Garden State. Christie says he’s targeting Illinois businesses because of that state’s recent enactment of big corporate and income tax increases.”We have an opportunity now to go to Illinois and say you have a governor who is going to say we’re not raising taxes in the state. You come to New Jersey, you’re going to have stable if not lower taxes during the next number of years.” he says. “And you’re going to have a place that has incentive programs and other things that can appeal to you to bring your jobs here.”Christie says his appeal is not breaking any new ground. He says New Jersey lost thousands of jobs to Pennsylvania because former Governor Ed Rendell lured companies across the border during the last eight years.”Oh like they haven’t seen New Jersey as a poaching ground before. As if we haven’t lost tens of thousands of jobs. Ed Rendell made a business of picking Jim McGreevey and Jon Corzine’s pocket for eight years of jobs that went to Pennsylvania,” said the governor. “This is not like I’m breaking new ground here.”