Minooka’s Million-Dollar Tantrum To Sabotage American Jobs: Opinion Column

The following opinion editorial is from American Accountability Foundation President Tom Jones.

MINOOKA, IL — If you want to know why Illinois is still stuck at the bottom of the economic totem pole, look no further than the petty politicians who are blocking a privately-funded rail project that would bring thousands of jobs to Minooka, a small village outside of the Chicago area.

One would think Illinois’ local leaders would be trying anything possible to add new jobs to their economy, especially since the state already ranks near-dead last in job growth. Instead, Minooka officials are doing what Illinois politicians do best: wasting millions of taxpayer dollars on expensive lawyers to thwart economic growth and sabotage President Trump’s pro-worker agenda.

The proposed investment in the rail project and logistics hub outside Minooka would be a boon for the village and surrounding region. It would bring around 600 good-paying construction jobs and over 6,500 permanent jobs once fully built. That’s 6,500 families with a paycheck; 6,500 careers rooted in American manufacturing and supply chains.

The project would also generate approximately $20.9 million in annual real estate tax revenue–new revenue to support schools, police, and infrastructure. Any sane elected official would celebrate the fact that Minooka was chosen for such a project.

I guess no one ever said Illinois’ politicians were sane.

Instead of supporting this investment, Minooka’s leadership is busy funneling millions to law firms for a deranged legal battle to stop the project. A recent FOIA request obtained by AAF revealed a growing stack of invoices tied to this effort dating back to 2023. It’s a worthless exercise at the expense of their community: block Trump’s America First agenda, no matter the cost. And the cost, in this case, directly impacts the very taxpayers they claim to represent. Minooka residents will ultimately foot the bill for a political vendetta, losing out on thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in the process.

Worse still, this lawsuit is doomed from the start. Federal preemption essentially ensures Minooka’s legal games will ultimately crumble in court, so the millions Minooka is wasting on lawyers won’t buy “protection” for the community. What it will buy is time for politicians to grandstand while local families suffer.

Incompetence and corruption go hand in hand. Instead of working in good faith to negotiate a better deal for their community, Minooka’s leaders have chosen to go nuclear and slam the brakes on job creation and tax relief. All the while siphoning taxpayer money into the pockets of big-city law firms.

President Trump’s goal is simple: put American workers first, rebuild our manufacturing base, and invest in forgotten communities. That’s exactly what this project would do. But like clockwork, Illinois insiders are too caught up in their corrupt political games.

Unfortunately for Minooka, hardworking Illinois families who could be part of the American comeback story will bear the brunt–unless their leaders start caring more about them than hating Trump.