Illinois economic officials are touting the use of Opportunity Zones across the state to spur development. Mike Pomeranz is with the real estate office of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and was in Lawrence County Wednesday to meet with local leaders. He says that there are already 327 Opportunity Zones established in Illinois with one covering a large area of southern Lawrence County from Sumner east to St Francisville. The program encourages capital gains investment into local communities in the zone with benefits to the investor which included temporary tax deferrals and permanent exclusion from capital gains taxes.