(The Center Square) – For the third time in less than three months, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has delivered remarks at an event related to quantum computing.
The governor spoke Monday at the Chicago Quantum Summit, following earlier announcements of taxpayer-funded investments in quantum companies PsiQuantum and EeroQ.
Pritzker said he worked hard at putting Illinois in the game for quantum computing.
“At the state level back in 2019, Illinois’ General Assembly and I began making massive state-level investments in our quantum future,” the governor said.
Pritzker and state lawmakers have given quantum computing companies hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks.
This July, Pritzker joined state, Cook County, and Chicago officials to announce the proposed Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park on Chicago’s Southeast Side. The development on a former U.S. Steel site will take $700 million, including tax incentives, from state taxpayers and $280 million from federal taxpayers via DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
The governor said he is not relying on additional funding from Washington D.C.
“We aren’t expecting federal money necessarily, although we think there are great opportunities to go after it,” Pritzker said.
Alliance of the SouthEast and other community organizations have written to Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to demand adequate notice of public meetings.
The groups have expressed concerns about the proposed quantum development, including environmental impact, competitive jobs, preventing displacement, technology infrastructure, neighborhood effects and community representation.
The seventh annual Chicago Quantum Summit is being held at the University of Chicago. Organizers say the two-day program features dialogue about the growing quantum technology economy, new research initiatives in the field and efforts to build the quantum workforce.
“This industry, this ecosystem and the many causes that will benefit from it have the potential to bring untold economic prosperity, tens of thousands of jobs and billions in private investment capital directly into our communities,” Pritzker said.
