Florida Chamber Launches Billboard Campaign Targeting Illinois Gov. Pritzker

The Florida Chamber of Commerce has launched a new billboard campaign in Chicago, directly targeting Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and criticizing the state's economic policies. The campaign, which is an expansion of the Chamber's "Free Enterprise" recruitment efforts, places advertisements on the Stevenson Expressway (I-55) naming Pritzker as the "runner-up Florida Economic Developer of the Year."

Florida Chamber President and CEO Mark Wilson stated that the campaign is not personal but policy-driven, aimed at highlighting the perceived negative impacts of Illinois's tax structure and public safety on its economy. "When we look at how unsafe Chicago is, when we look at the extraordinarily high taxes that we have in Chicago... And all of Illinois is losing people, more businesses are leaving Illinois than are moving to Illinois, and Illinois is losing billions of taxable income," Wilson told Fox News Digital.

The Chamber cites data indicating a significant outflow of wealth and residents from Illinois to Florida. Wilson claimed that over $2 billion in taxable income and an estimated 75,000 to 100,000 residents have moved from Illinois to Florida in recent years. He pointed to high-profile corporate departures, such as hedge fund giant Citadel relocating its headquarters to Miami, as evidence of businesses leaving Illinois due to concerns over crime and tax burdens.

This initiative follows a similar campaign in New York City's Times Square, where the Chamber named NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani "Florida's Economic Developer of the Year." The Florida Chamber argues that progressive tax and economic policies in states like Illinois and New York encourage wealth, businesses, and families to relocate to Florida.

Wilson emphasized that the campaign is data-driven, with Illinois earning the "number two spot" for its contribution to Florida's growth, following New York. He noted that Florida has gained approximately 1.9 million residents during the same period Illinois has seen a population decline.

The campaign is not solely focused on attracting large corporations but also aims to target Illinois's advanced manufacturing, aviation, and tech startup sectors. Wilson highlighted Florida's status as the number one state for new business startups and its dedicated chief manufacturing officer.

While the exact cost of the billboard campaign was not disclosed, Wilson indicated that such efforts require millions of dollars annually. The Chicago billboards are scheduled to remain active for one week. The Florida Chamber hopes the campaign will prompt Illinois leaders to reconsider their policies and potentially adopt a more free-enterprise-focused approach.

Governor Pritzker's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Wilson expressed a desire for Illinois to embrace free enterprise principles, suggesting it would benefit the state's residents and businesses. He also cautioned against Florida succumbing to the issues seen in states like California, New York, and Illinois, stressing the importance of comparing Florida to its own potential rather than to the shortcomings of others. The "Free Enterprise Florida" campaign may target additional states in the future.