By AP
Chicago, IL – Although he made the Put Illinois to Work program a centerpiece of his election campaign, Gov. Pat Quinn now says he will terminate the temporary jobs measure in mid-January.
The program's initial $215 million in federal funding ran out in September, but Quinn has since pumped in $122 million in state funds.
Critics questioned the wisdom of that spending and objected that the program provided no guarantees for full-time employment.
Illinois Department of Human Services documents obtained by the Chicago tribune say 26,000 people got get $10-an-hour jobs under the program, but most of those jobs were temporary. Fewer than 10 Percent of them obtained or were promised full-time positions.
Quinn says he will now focus on passing legislation to increase incentives for businesses to hire new workers.
