In Gov Quinn, tech found one of its strongest allies

Sure Gov Pat Quinn (D-IL) will be missed by labor, but the tech community also counted the governor as a major ally. He wrote checks that helped turn some of Chicago's most high-profile tech projects, such as 1871 and UI Labs, into realities.

The state provided $2.3 million for 1871, which opened in 2012 in the Merchandise Mart and became the city's symbolic hub for tech startups. Earlier in 2014, he doubled down with another $2.5 million to expand 1871. Gov Quinn also bankrolled Matter, a similar effort for health-technology startups at the Merchandise Mart. The governor was generous in offering incentives to tech companies -- including Motorola Mobility, Groupon and Braintree -- that added jobs. Although it often seemed Gov Quinn was competing with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel (D) for credit in creating tech jobs, Quinn, as governor, had the checkbook and put his money where his mouth was.