Fiscal Year 2009-2010
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CENTER FOR STATE POLICY AND LEADERSHIP ILU N ILV EIRNS I OTYIOSF S P R I N G F I E L D ANNUAL REPORT 2009-2010 CENTER FOR STATE POLICY AND LEADERSHIP AT U NIVERSITY OF I LLINOIS S PRINGFIELD Jerry Burkhart, Director Office of Electronic Media UNIT DIRECTORS Public Affairs Center, Room 138 University of Illinois Springfield Interim VP and One University Plaza, MS PAC 138 Springfield, IL 62703-5407 Chancellor (217) 206-6799 • Fax: (217) 206-6297 E-mail: [email protected] Provost and Vice Chancellor http://cspl.uis.edu/oem for Academic Affairs Kim Hayden, Director Center for State Policy Office of Graduate Intern Programs and Leadership Brookens Library, Room 475 University of Illinois Springfield Office of the Executive One University Plaza, MS BRK 475 Director Springfield, IL 62703-5407 (217) 206-6155 • Fax: (217) 206-7508 E-mail: [email protected] http://cspl.uis.edu/graduateinternprograms Dana Heupel, Director / Executive Editor Dr. David P. Racine Center Publications / Illinois Issues Interim Executive Director Human Resources Building, Room 10 Office of the Executive Director University of Illinois Springfield Public Affairs Center, Room 409 One University Plaza, MS HRB 10 University of Illinois Springfield Springfield, IL 62703-5407 (217) 206-6084 • Fax: (217) 206-7257 Director E-mail: [email protected] http://cspl.uis.edu/centerpublications Public Affairs Center, Room 451 http://illinoisissues.uis.edu University of Illinois Springfield One University Plaza, MS PAC 451 Richard G. Schuldt, Director Springfield, IL 62703-5407 Survey Research Office Phone: (217) 206-6343 Human Resources Building, Room 120 Fax: (217) 206-7379 University of Illinois Springfield One University Plaza, MS HRB 120 E-mail: [email protected] Springfield, IL 62703-5407 Website: http://cspl.uis.edu/ILLAPS/ (217) 206-6591 • Fax: (217) 206-7979 E-mail: [email protected] http://cspl.uis.edu/surveyresearchoffice Barbara E. Ferrara Associate Director Office of the Executive Director Dr. Daniel W. Stowell, Director / Editor Public Affairs Center, Room 408 Papers of Abraham Lincoln University of Illinois Springfield 112 N. 6th Street One University Plaza, MS PAC 409 Springfield, IL 62701 (217) 785-9130 • Fax: (217) 524-6973 Springfield, IL 62703-5407 E-mail: Phone: (217) 206-7094 [email protected] Fax: (217) 206-6542 http://www.papersofabrahamlincoln.org E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://cspl.uis.edu William Wheelhouse WUIS/WIPA Public Radio WUIS Building, Room 130 University of Illinois Springfield One University Plaza, MS WUIS 130 Springfield, IL 62703-5407 (217) 206-6402 • Fax: (217) 206-6527 E-mail: [email protected] WUIS: (217) 206-9847 • [email protected] http://www.wuis.org MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN OUR WORLD It would be an understatement to say that the citizens of Illinois informed, translating 2009-2010 has been a notable time in the complexity of the state’s policymaking Illinois. The state and national economy and politicking into understandable terms. continued in the doldrums. The state In timely and practical ways, it brought the budget swam in a sea of red ink, as deficits unique intellectual resources of a public rose to record levels and the state fell university to bear on specific problems and woefully behind in its payments to public challenges facing government. The universities and colleges, not to mention Center’s multiple engagements with the thousands of nonprofit and private contrac- world outside the university created myriad tors. Illinois’ pension liability was rated the opportunities for student, faculty, staff, and worst in the nation. And, as if all of this public learning. were not enough, a sitting and corrupt governor was impeached and removed Consider just one example: a languishing from office for the first time in state history. state economy made worse by the “great recession.” The Center’s work spoke to this From its vantage point in the state capital, problem in several ways. Its Institute for the Center for State Policy and Leadership Legal, Legislative, and Policy Studies and at the University of Illinois Springfield Survey Research Office studied the effects carefully tracked these and other develop- of the rising tide of retail chains on the state ments, shared its observations with the and local economies for the Illinois public, and worked to make a difference Department of Commerce and Economic where and when possible. The Center kept Opportunity. The Survey Research Office Steve Dykema, Producer/Director with the Office of Electronic Media videotapes members of the Student Government Associations from UIS, UIC and UIUC during Lobby Day at the State Capital http://cspl.uis.edu n Center for State Policy and Leadership n ANNUAL REPORT 09-10 | 1 periodically took the pulse of the economic Experience (ECCE) Speaker Series sessions climate for the local Chamber of Commerce. on economic topics. The Center’s monthly public affairs news magazine, Illinois Issues, chronicled The range of activities in this example emerging issues in the state economy. Its reflects all three of the enduring priorities public radio station, WUIS, provided daily that define the Center’s work and the reporting on national, state, and local unique blend of capabilities setting it apart economic news. Its Graduate Public from the public policy groups of other Service Internship and Legislative Staff universities: Internship programs helped develop tomorrow’s leaders through student • Conducting research to inform public placements at state economic agencies and decisions. legislative units. Its Office of Electronic • Educating and engaging citizens in Media recorded and broadcast for student public affairs. use Engaged Citizenship Common • Improving public leadership and service. Conducting Research to Inform Public Decisions Legislatures, administrative agencies, In addition, The Papers of Abraham courts, and nonprofit organizations all Lincoln continued its award-winning make decisions that can profoundly affect research project to document the life and people’s lives. While personal values, career of the nation’s 16th president, whose politics, and interpersonal relationships words and experiences remain relevant to play a role in these choices, decision makers public policy today. are also expected to consider the “evidence” – what analysis and study may reveal about an issue or a problem. The Center’s research Economic Well-Being and evaluation work represents an impor- tant contribution that UIS, its faculty, staff, Chains Changing Communities and students make to public discourse on important issues. In the past few decades, retail chains have penetrated nearly every corner of the During 2009-2010, the Center conducted marketplace. To get a handle on how much of its research and evaluation chains, especially “big box” stores, have activities through the Institute for Legal, affected communities, the state’s Legislative, and Policy Studies and Survey Department of Commerce and Economic Research Office (SRO). Their principal focus Opportunity asked the Center to examine was the basic challenges to human well- changes in Illinois’ retail sector since 1990. being that concern public policy. Their For this study, the Institute for Legal, approach was practical and collaborative, Legislative, and Policy Studies and SRO working actively with public agencies and were joined by economic geographers from others to help solve problems. the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana 2 | ANNUAL REPORT 09-10 n Center for State Policy and Leadership n http://cspl.uis.edu Extension Office and researchers at its entry of new businesses and an overall School of Social Work. decrease in the exit of existing ones. The study team found that retail grew in The study also surveyed the general public Illinois during the 1990s but began and employers in seven communities repre- contracting around 2002. The contraction sentative of the geographic and economic was due to declines on most indicators – diversity of Illinois. Most public respondents such as sales and jobs – in Chicago and expressed a positive view of retail chains, small towns located outside the state’s identifying as key advantages their lower metro areas. Everywhere else, retail contin- prices, product variety, and convenience. ued to expand, especially in the “collar” But they also pointed to the harm chains counties near Chicago. seem to do to local businesses and down- towns. When asked where they do their Large retail stores grew everywhere in shopping, majorities said that, for most Illinois during these 18 years, except in small kinds of products, they buy at retail chains communities within the collar counties and rather than at locally owned businesses. in Chicago. Rural areas experienced the Employers, on the whole, also expressed a largest impact, with the number of “big box” positive attitude toward chains, although general merchandise and home improve- not as strongly as the general public. ment stores increasing nearly 200 percent. Although there is worry that “big box” Assessing the Local Economic stores kill off locally owned businesses – Outlook and this does happen, data collected for this study indicate that, for the most part, Sangamon County, where UIS is located, the presence of large stores appears to be has not been immune to the economic associated with an overall increase in the downturn. Every six months since March Average Annual Retail Sales per Store in Illinois: By Type of County http://cspl.uis.edu n Center for State Policy and Leadership n ANNUAL REPORT 09-10 | 3 2008, about the time when the national that in 2001, volunteering on an occasional economy began to sour, the Survey basis had declined by half. When the Research Office has carried out a biannual number of people who said they did survey for the greater Springfield Chamber informal volunteering is counted, however, of Commerce to assess the economic the overall estimate of those who do any outlook of businesses and nonprofit organi- kind of volunteering increased zations. The survey asks local employers to significantly between 2001 and 2009. project how the local economy and their own firm will fare over the next 12 months.