By Kevin Lee     Illinois Statehouse News

SPRINGFIELD  –  Pro-business advocates are trying to find reasons for local business owners to stay optimistic in this difficult economic climate.

But with the state mired in a record budget deficit and an unemployment rate exceeding 11 percent, local chambers of commerce and other supporters are telling their associated employers to weather the storm.

Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Doug Whitley said government has too strong of a stranglehold on the market.

"We have some regulators or some people who would like to see the state stay in the business of highly regulated, highly managed markets, which is absolutely not the way to incent investment and job growth," he said. "The more we can take those barriers down, the better off we'll be in the long term," he said.

Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Russ Slinkard said over-regulation was slowing the state's business expansion.

"The more red tape there is the more difficult it is, the more expensive it is to operate a business, and Illinois is prime in that category," he said.

Heads of local chambers of commerce and business associations gathered in Springfield on Wednesday in support of revising the state's telecommunications regulations.

The state last revised its regulations in 2001 and has since seen a boom in wireless phone and broadband technology.

Lawmakers met earlier this week to discuss revising telecom regulations and are expected to continue discussions in the coming weeks.

Business advocates also applauded a new law approved by Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday but called for more action by government officials.

Quinn approved a new $2,500 tax credit to go towards small businesses of fifty full-time employees  that hired new employees for a few years.

Slinkard said he supported the new law but wanted to see more from public officials.

"I think it will help. Of course, it's a year away, they have to be employed a year. They have to be making above a certain level of income. … But certainly anything of that nature will help, so we were certainly happy that he did that," he said.

The new law requires a new employee to be working for at least 35 hours per week at a rate of $13.75 per hour in order for the small business to be eligible for the tax credit.

Lynn Toi Lawson, Harvey Area Chamber of Commerce chairperson, said education was a top priority to help employers and employees deal with the state's and nation's struggling economy.

"It gives us an opportunity to say 'We can think strategically, we can think outside of the box.' We know the things that have worked and what have not worked. And that education piece is critical," she said.