Stadelman proposal to help Rockford balance budget, hold line on property taxes
A legislative measure sponsored by State Senator Steve Stadelman that allows Rockford to raise license fees on video gaming machines passed a key hurdle this week. Senate Bill 1558 would allow municipalities without home-rule powers to charge up to $250 for a video gaming license over the current per-machine limit of $25 a year.
“These video gaming machines rake in thousands of dollars a month,” Stadelman said. “I think it is only right that Rockford be allowed to raise the license fees in order to balance their budget without raising property taxes.”
Senate Bill 1558 was brought to Stadelman by Rockford Mayor Thomas McNamara due to Rockford’s status as a non-home rule municipality, meaning the city needs state approval to raise the fees unlike Peoria, Springfield and other downstate communities. In Peoria and Springfield, the license fee is $500 per year.
McNamara said, “I am incredibly thankful to our local ILBA Rockford Chapter for working with the City to institute what is a higher fee per machine, that without home rule we are unable to institute ourselves. This development would not be where it is today without the leadership of Senator Stadelman in Springfield.”
Having passed the Senate Executive Committee, the bill now goes before the full Senate for a vote.
Stadelman among local leaders to endorse merits of green energy bill
State Senator Steve Stadelman, State Rep. Maurice West and Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara expressed their their support this week for the Illinois Clean Jobs Act, which would increase use of renewable energy in Illinois to 100 percent by 2050. The legislation proposes ways to promote development of renewable energy sources, reduce carbon emissions and provide jobs in the green energy field.
“Renewable energy accounts for about 4 to 8 percent as far as our energy portfolio right now,” Stadelman said at news conference this week. “It’s supposed to be 25 percent by the year 2025. So this is clearly ambitious to be 100 percent by the year 2050, but I think that’s the direction that we ultimately need to go -- and the sooner we get there, certainly the best.”
Stadelman emphasized the job growth associated with expansion of renewable energy. Solar energy installer and wind energy technician are already the nation's fastest growing employment classifications, Stadelman noted, and neither requires a college degree.
“That’s our future,” he said. “These are the types of jobs that we have to be working for and making sure our workers are trained for in every county of this state. Illinois needs to lead the way when it comes to transitioning ourselves into this new clean energy economy.
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