Promise of 150 new jobs gets ConAgra Illinois tax breaks

CHICAGO (AP) - ConAgra Foods will receive an unspecified amount of Illinois tax credits in exchange for 150 new jobs in the state as it moves its headquarters from Omaha, Nebraska, to Chicago.

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity confirmed Thursday that Con Agra will benefit from a corporate-recruitment tool that Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner put on hold in June amid an ongoing budget impasse with Democratic state lawmakers.

Online retail giant Amazon was offered similar incentives for a new Joliet warehouse in August that will create 1,000 full-time jobs.

In both cases, state officials say that the Economic Development for a Growing Economy benefits were offered before the program was scaled back.

Con Agra plans to cut about 1,500 jobs overall as part of a corporate restructuring.