ROCKFORD – State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) announced a $2.6 million investment that will bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to the area to the Rockford area Tuesday.

“The Rockford Airport is one of our region’s strongest economic drivers, providing thousands of jobs in our community,” Stadelman said. “This workforce funding will help fuel the airport’s continued growth and innovation by investing in the training required for our residents to have access to highly skilled occupations being created here.”

Stadelman has been working for years to get funding in the state budget for increased workforce support at the Rockford Airport. AAR Corp. has landed a major contract with airlines to ensure aircraft repairs can begin to take place at the Rockford Airport. The investment will bring many high-paying, highly-skilled jobs to the area.

AAR is poised for a significant expansion of its workforce in northern Illinois, including plans to hire up to 250 aviation mechanics over the next year as part of a recent agreement with United Airlines. These investments will allow AAR to hire personnel, help expand its partnership with Rock Valley College and develop new educational pipelines in high schools throughout northern Illinois, with training set to begin this spring.

SPRINGFIELD – Backing his promise to expand electric vehicle production in both the Rockford area and state as a whole, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) championed the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, which was signed into law Tuesday.

“This growing field indicates room for job growth in the electric vehicle market,” Stadelman said. “Illinois is working to encourage electric vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers to keep and bring their production facilities here. That will lead to good paying jobs in Northern Illinois and across the state.”

The new law creates financial incentives through tax credits for manufacturers of electric vehicles, parts, and power supplies. Businesses that are located in underserved areas or energy transition areas – a region with less than 100,000 residents with retired fossil fuel plants or closed coal mines – will be eligible for increased benefits.

To assist automakers to prepare their workforce for the shift to electric vehicle production, the law also provides tax credit incentives to help with training costs.

State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) spoke with Brian Mackey of Illinois Public Media last week on the importance of access to local journalism in Illinois and how the Journalism Task Force will work to assist local news outlets across Illinois.

“If people don’t get the information they need of what’s going on around their town, they won’t be able to make educated decisions for their area,” Stadelman said. “This task force is here to begin the discussion of how we can strengthen access to local journalism throughout Illinois and provide news and information to underserved communities.”

In the interview, Stadelman talks about how journalism has been impacted throughout the nation in the closure of newspapers across the country. Action is needed to help supply communities with local information. Stadelman believes local journalism is the backbone of this kind of support for communities.

You can listen to the whole conversation here.

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SPRINGFIELD – Today, State Senator Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) led his colleagues in passing the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, a historic measure to preserve and create jobs in Illinois and incentivize electric vehicle manufacturers to create more jobs in the state.

“This is a massive field that has so much room to grow, and we want to encourage these companies to set up shop in Illinois,” Stadelman said. “Many regions will see this as an economic opportunity that could bring jobs to residents and make a lasting impact on their community.”

The new measure would provide a tax credit for manufacturers of electronic vehicles, parts, and power supplies. Businesses in underserved areas would be eligible for a larger benefit.