CHICAGO: A newspaper analysis shows that companies who receive tax breaks through Illinois’ primary job-creation programme often don’t add jobs and sometimes even lay off workers.

The Chicago Tribune analysed 783 deals the state has made through the Economic Development for a Growing Economy programme and found that two-thirds of the companies that completed agreements didn’t maintain agreed-upon job levels.

State officials also can’t say how many jobs have been created by the programme, known as EDGE, which Governor Bruce Rauner put on hold in June.