U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger encourages local leaders to work together to better efforts to keep jobs in Illinois.

Some areas are better than others and some have a stronger base to work with...but it’s that community effort that we can all benefit from. Kinzinger said there’s a common ground that can lead the way.

The Republican congressman held roundtable discussions Wednesday, visiting Gibson City, Watseka, Forrest and Pontiac. Kinzinger said while some tense matters of concern have stirred talk in Washington, D.C. of late, there’s still issues to focus on in the district.

Kinzinger pointed to growth in tourism in Pontiac, “which is a good thing. We always could be doing better. So the key is to try to figure out, there’s an issue in skills gap, in terms of jobs that are available versus what people are trained for.”

He said a visit to Rhino Ag in Gibson City told him there’s a need for welders. Training, promoting and waving your own flag is important. Some communities want a better business climate, he said. One of the roles of the Federal government is to see trends of the future and to highlight those trends.”

Kinzinger said part of the blame for stagnant job growth rests in Springfield, saying that jobs are leaving Illinois because of state policies. But those same lame-policies need a boost at the local level too.

“Look, everybody is struggling and it’s something we need to get a better handle on,” Kinzinger said. “You know, we’re not just losing jobs to India – we’re losing them to Indiana, and it’s not because the weather is nicer or there are more mountains over there.”

Kinzinger also tells WGFA News ‘there’s a lot of eyes following the threat of Korean missiles.

94.1 WGFA