Eye On Illinois: Should government leverage its buying power to churn local economic engines?

House Bill 3701 poses a question Illinois is overdue in answering: What role should taxpayer-funded bodies play in supporting the state economy?

State Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, proposed the Good Food Purchasing Law in February. According to Capitol News Illinois, the bill would relaunch a policy task force and take steps toward having state-run institutions start buying from local farmers instead of just the lowest bidder.

As CNI noted, the House Agriculture Committee passed a stronger version of the bill 6-3 in March but unanimously advanced an amended version April 8. The current proposal is more exploratory than instantly directing local food purchases, but the larger question remains: to what extent is buying locally sound public policy?

It’s worth noting bill language referring to “equity, transparency and accountability and food purchases with Good Food Purchasing core values” and acknowledge the inevitable debates because political actors have differing core values. But focusing on those details at this juncture obfuscates broader issues.

Even if the only subject is food, state government has tremendous buying power when factoring prisons, universities, veterans care facilities and more. Local governments could reach critical mass when bundled, such as through Regional Offices of Education. Directing purchases within the Illinois border obviously could benefit producers capable of meeting demand, but despite studies showing how spending ripples through local economies, it’s hard to shake the feeling that taxpayer dollars should always be spent with maximum efficiency.

Adequate answers require understanding the larger economic context. Just because a purveyor of something like frozen chicken patties has a corporate headquarters in Arkansas doesn’t mean there aren’t Illinoisans in the supply chain relying on those contracts to pay bills.

Focusing specifically on farm-raised meat, dairy and produce, a rudimentary understanding of agribusiness reminds that different states have different strengths. It’s well known that Illinois leads the nation in pumpkin production, but can’t crack the top 10 for eggs. Extrapolate into what suburbanites like myself call ingredients, Illinois often paces the country in annual soybean production. If our prisons buy food produced from those bushels made in factories elsewhere, Prairie State farmers still benefit from their labor.

Paper pushers could go mad trying to figure out how much of each cafeteria pizza can trace its origins to the Land of Lincoln. To be fair, Harper isn’t suggesting anyone solve such an equation. But if this task force can definitively show where smart purchasing decisions can bolster local economies – complete with attempts to protect against shady contracts and peddled influence – it only makes sense to use the state’s power to fuel the financial engines.

Much good has been done promoting “Made in Illinois” products, but the time may be right for a stronger stance.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Local News Network. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.