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Caterpillar CEO's letter talks of leaving Illinois (Taxes too high)
Pantagraph ^ | March 25, 2011 | By Kurt Erickson | Lee Springfield Bureau

Posted on 03/25/2011 8:10:52 PM PDT by Islander7

SPRINGFIELD -- The chairman and CEO of Peoria-based Caterpillar Inc. is raising the specter of moving the heavy equipment maker out of Illinois.

In a letter sent March 21 to Gov. Pat Quinn, Caterpillar chief executive officer Doug Oberhelman said officials in at least four other states have approached the company about relocating since Illinois raised its income tax in January.

"I want to stay here. But as the leader of this business, I have to do what's right for Caterpillar when making decisions about where to invest," Oberhelman wrote in the letter obtained Friday by the Lee Enterprises Springfield bureau. "The direction that this state is headed in is not favorable to business and I'd like to work with you to change that."

Oberhelman said he's being actively courted to move.

(Excerpt) Read more at pantagraph.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: caterpillar; democrats; illinois; marxists; peoria; taxes
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Oberhelman didn't single out any specific problem with the state's policies in his one-page letter, but Dugan said the recent income tax increase -- signed into law by Quinn in January -- played a significant role in triggering the note.

The tax hike has led to attempts by other states, including Wisconsin, Indiana and New Jersey, to try and poach companies that don't want to stay in the Land of Lincoln.

Oberhelman also sent along correspondence Cat has received from other states.

"I stand ready to help convince you to relocate or expand in the fiscally conservative, low-tax Lone Star State," wrote Texas Gov. Rick Perry in a Jan. 24 letter.

1 posted on 03/25/2011 8:10:59 PM PDT by Islander7
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To: Islander7

The rent...

is too damn high!


2 posted on 03/25/2011 8:11:57 PM PDT by NoLibZone (Impeach Obama & try him for treason / Homosexuals reject diversity / Unions finally caught for theft)
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To: Islander7

Oh no. /s

the funny part is the majority of their sales take place internationaly as US construction has plummeted by 48% on average


3 posted on 03/25/2011 8:14:40 PM PDT by Vendome ("Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it anyway")
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To: Islander7

The Land of Lincoln is slowly shrinkin’.


4 posted on 03/25/2011 8:15:26 PM PDT by mlocher (Is it time to cash in before I am taxed out?)
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To: NoLibZone

What a shock.


5 posted on 03/25/2011 8:16:04 PM PDT by arrogantsob
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To: Islander7

Illinois must be a miserable, pathetic place to do business if New Jersey is seen as a viable alternative.


6 posted on 03/25/2011 8:16:12 PM PDT by Alberta's Child ("If you touch my junk, I'm gonna have you arrested.")
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To: Islander7

come to Florida!


7 posted on 03/25/2011 8:17:50 PM PDT by Recovering_Democrat
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To: Islander7
Oberhelman said he's being actively courted to move.

I wonder what Guv Brown from California has offered?

8 posted on 03/25/2011 8:22:40 PM PDT by umgud
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To: Islander7

Cat has already opened a couple of plants in TX.

Might as well move the whole kit & kaboodle down here.


9 posted on 03/25/2011 8:26:04 PM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open ( <o> ---)
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To: Islander7

I guess Obama is going to print more money so the Government can take over CAT and mold it into a company that no one wants to buy a product from.


10 posted on 03/25/2011 8:30:32 PM PDT by OrioleFan (Republicans believe every day is the 4th of July, democrats believe every day is April 15.)
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To: Lando Lincoln
Courtesy *PING*

Cheers!

11 posted on 03/25/2011 8:32:01 PM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: Islander7

Wow! If Cat ends up leaving Peoria, that would be really earth-shaking for Illinois and should be a huge wake-up call for Springfield. Should.


12 posted on 03/25/2011 8:33:50 PM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Made from the right stuff!)
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To: Islander7

What a stupid bunch of ASSes Boeing heads were for moving there.


13 posted on 03/25/2011 8:33:50 PM PDT by steve86 (Acerbic by nature, not nurture (Could be worst in 40 years))
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Oberhelman said he's being actively courted to move.
By four states pimping out their own citizens who will get stuck paying for goodies given to Cat.
14 posted on 03/25/2011 8:34:49 PM PDT by Milhous (Lev 19:18 Love your neighbor as yourself.)
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To: Islander7

No surprises here. For me, the only surprise is that more businesses haven’t announced they are leaving states like Illinois, New York and Kalifornia - states apparently run by Karl Marx and his brothers Harpo, Zeppo and Groucho.


15 posted on 03/25/2011 8:35:03 PM PDT by Rembrandt (.. AND the donkey you rode in on.)
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To: catnipman

My cousin in Peoria worked there for many years, bet she’s glad she finally got retired and can sit at home and play with her grandkids all day.


16 posted on 03/25/2011 8:38:41 PM PDT by West Texas Chuck (Why yes, I do speak Spanglish - "Hasta la later on, amigo. Pardon, would you have any salsa verde?")
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To: OrioleFan

“..mold it into a company that no one wants to buy a product from.”

Roadgraders powered by AAA batteries.


17 posted on 03/25/2011 8:39:57 PM PDT by Rembrandt (.. AND the donkey you rode in on.)
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To: Islander7

Watch out for EXEMPTION type arrangement “Sebelius style.”


18 posted on 03/25/2011 8:41:36 PM PDT by Varsity Flight
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To: Islander7

“including Wisconsin, Indiana and New Jersey”

Snort, snort, snicker, snicker, bwahahahahahahaha.


19 posted on 03/25/2011 8:43:35 PM PDT by Parley Baer
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To: Rembrandt
states like Illinois, New York and Kalifornia - states apparently run by Karl Marx and his brothers Harpo, Zeppo and Groucho.

How dare you insult the Marx brothers by insinuating that states as poorly run as those mentioned could be run by them. I'd take Groucho any day over Moonbeam.
20 posted on 03/25/2011 8:45:44 PM PDT by truthguy (Good intentions are not enough.)
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