Showing posts with label Joe Sosnowski. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joe Sosnowski. Show all posts
Illinois House Republicans joined farmers and industry stakeholders at the Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting held December 6-9. The multi-day conference brought together agricultural leaders from across the state to discuss current challenges, explore new opportunities, and outline policies that will strengthen Illinois’ agricultural future.

Throughout the event, lawmakers met with Farm Bureau members, participated in policy discussions, and emphasized their shared commitment to advocating for Illinois’ farm families. Topics ranged from land use and environmental stewardship to regulatory reform and support for the next generation of farmers. 
Illinois House Republicans are advancing legislation to eliminate state income taxes on tips and overtime pay, two forms of compensation that thousands of workers across the state rely on to make ends meet, as part of the Relief for Working Families Bill Package. The initiative, which includes three bills introduced by Representatives Joe Sosnowski, Jennifer Sanalitro, and C.D. Davidsmeyer, reflects a growing effort to ease the financial burden on service industry employees, hourly workers, and anyone whose livelihood depends on long shifts and customer generosity. 

Older adults contribute immeasurably to our communities in a variety of ways. They raised their families, earned a living whether it be by starting a business or pursuing their dreams in one or more career pathways, coached their kids’ sports teams and volunteered in one or more civic, charitable, or faith-based causes. They donated their time, their income, and their individual talents to lift up and enrich the lives of their neighbors and families. Now, they should be able to afford to enjoy their retirement years in Illinois – close to family and celebrating life’s next milestones in the community they call home.

Illinois House Republicans are working to protect seniors’ financial security, health, and independence. Whether you hail from Chicago, the suburbs, one of our bustling Downstate cities, or beautiful rural Illinois, House Republicans believe state government should make life more affordable for you.
Yesterday, Deputy House Republican Leader Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) and State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) joined with small business owners to decry a new proposal making the rounds in Springfield that would establish a new sales tax on services across the state. This new service tax would cover almost all services consumers rely on, ranging from streaming services to dry cleaning, haircuts to vehicle repairs, and everything in between. Proponents are pushing the new tax as a bailout to fill the void for years of mismanagement in the Chicago region's mass transportation system, which is facing nearly a billion-dollar budget shortfall in 2026.

Illinois House Republican lawmakers unveiled their legislative bill package to deliver property tax relief to residents across the state. Assistant Minority Leader Dan Ugaste (Geneva) and State Representatives Joe Sosnowski (Rockford) and Tom Weber (Fox Lake) discussed the impact that high property taxes have had on Illinois, and the Democratic majority’s inaction and refusal to provide relief.

The Illinois House of Representatives passed legislation in April sponsored by State Representative Joe Sosnowski that would allow the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Service Boards (Metra, CTA, and Pace) to donate rolling stock, including locomotives and equipment, to museums in Illinois that are not-for-profit organizations. 

Under current law the RTA is not permitted to donate items before putting them up for private sale or auction.

Tamales have been a staple in Mexican culture for centuries, dating back to the times of the Aztecs, Mayans, and Olmecs. Tamales are regarded as a sacred food for the gods and eaten on special occasions, including holidays. Eating tamales during Christmas time is a deep-rooted tradition for many Mexican families, and that tradition has become a part of the culture in other areas of the world as well. 

The Illinois Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program provides a state income tax credit equal to 25 percent of a project’s Qualified Rehabilitation Expenditures, not to exceed $3 million, to owners of certified historic structures who undertake certified rehabilitations. These substantial investments are creating jobs in Illinois, stimulating local economies, and revitalizing historic structures and neighborhoods. The program took effect in 2019 and has been extended through 2028. 

Panhandling is currently legal in Illinois, with a ruling by a federal district court judge in Chicago in January 2021 striking down the law on the books that had prohibited panhandling in public streets and medians. That ruling came six years after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling made it clear that most laws targeting panhandlers are unconstitutional. Since that Supreme Court decision in Reed vs. Town of Gilbert, a number of panhandling ordinances across the nation have been repealed or struck down by courts.

At just over 40, our guest today has already served on the city council of two northern Illinois communities and has been advocating for residents of the Rock River Valley in the Illinois House since 2011.

In our conversation he gives credit to a high school teacher for his interest in the political system and answers questions about a particular suit he wore to Arlington Raceway.

We talk issues under the dome with 69th District State Representative Joe Sosnowski.

Last night the House passed a historic compromise education funding plan that ensures all children in Illinois will have access to a high quality education. Read more about SB 1947.

Here is what some of our members are saying about it.

Rep. Christine Winger
“Today’s agreement is a historic step forward for education funding, one that will help our students have the opportunities they deserve to succeed while also ensuring all school districts are treated fairly.”
Members frustrated by the Majority's unwillingness to address the budget impasse or reforms, called for immediate action. Here's what several members had to say:

 
Leader Jim Durkin: "Stop this insanity. For too long, the majority party has shirked their responsibilities – whether its raising the income tax under the guise that it would pay down old  bills and put people back to work – or passing reckless unbalanced budgets year after year.

Simply raising taxes and increase spending without any reforms didn’t work then - and it won’t work now.

We need to actually reduce spending and demand property tax relief and include reforms to grow jobs and our economy."



Rep. Joe Sosnowski (Rockford): “One thing we cannot do is pass an unbalanced budget that includes tax increases and no responsible reforms that provide taxpayer relief. We can bring manufacturing jobs back to the Rockford area and other parts of the state by insisting that economic reforms be part of any final budget agreement.”


Rep. Tony McCombie (Savanna): “So as we return to Springfield today, I urge my colleagues to resist the failed attempts of the past. No more unbalanced budgets. No more tax increases. Let's start fresh and put aside the political rhetoric and work together! Together we can balance a budget AND take on the major issues facing our state. Together we can make Illinois a growth state and one of the best in the nation.”


Rep. Ryan Spain (Peoria): “...it is simply not acceptable to kick this can down the road by passing tax increases without meaningful cost reforms.  That’s not what any of us were sent here to do - we were sent here to fix the problems.”


Yanfeng Automotive Interiors, the world's largest supplier of automotive interior components, is establishing a new manufacturing facility in Belvidere, State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) announced today. The new plant, opening in 2017, is expected to bring $28.1 million of new capital investment and lead to the creation of 400 new jobs.

The company will supply interior cockpit components to the Jeep® Cherokee, which will be built at the FCA US Belvidere assembly plant.

"The Boone/Winnebago County area is home to the best workforce in the State of Illinois," Representative Sosnowski said. "We are excited to welcome Yanfeng's new investment and the 400 new, good-paying manufacturing jobs it will bring to our district.” Read more.
"Illinois must find a balanced approach to foster a
better climate for families and businesses." ~Rep. Sosnowski
The Illinois General Assembly passed a temporary budget last week. The budget funds K-12 education for an entire year and provides funds for higher education institutions, state departments including correction, healthcare accommodations and capital projects to keep operations ongoing until the beginning of 2017 or until a more permanent solution is found.

A permanent solution will have to reverse a course Illinois has been on for a long time. Decades of mismanagement have sent this state in a tailspin and it’s up to us to correct our course. Our generation can lead the state back to prosperity. Read the rest of Rep. Sosnowski's column in the Rockford Register Star.
Stateline lawmakers are being told to stay home from Springfield for the next month and they're not happy about.

Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R) and Rep. John Cabello (R) called for a compromise on the issue of higher education.  They described the democratic majority as playing games with students' lives.  On Wednesday, they echoed the words of Gov. Bruce Rauner (R-IL) on their disappointment that they won't be in session until April 4. Read more on MyStateline.com.

Budget – FY16
Despite deadline, Democrats again refuse to pass balanced budget for FY16. The Illinois Constitution requires that the State annually pass a balanced budget in which revenues match mandated expenditures. One way that Speaker Madigan has been Speaker for 32 of the past 34 years is by passing a series of unbalanced budgets, which have all spent money the State has not had. He has curried favor with powerful interests and forced Republicans to be the villains whenever steps are taken to prevent the spending of imaginary money.
Having only spent four months on the job, the large class of House Republican freshmen came together in the Capitol today to express their disgust with the partisan political atmosphere that has engulfed Springfield.  The message they came to deliver is there is no better time than now to call for term limits in Springfield.

“I don’t believe there’s a single one of us who truly understood the high barriers towards reform that have been erected by the entrenched leadership here in Springfield,” stated Steve Andersson (R, Geneva).  “The time is now to discuss this issue, while we are amidst this gridlock.”
The bipartisan House Task Force on Education Funding will hold its first organizing meeting on Wednesday, March 11 at 3:00 PM in Room 118 in the Capitol. It is expected the Task Force will set objectives and future meetings. The Task Force will study equity and adequacy issues as it relates to funding schools in Illinois and from the information gathered, propose any necessary changes to the current school funding formula.

Rep. Robert Pritchard is the Republican Spokesperson for the 23-member Task Force and Republican lawmakers include Representatives Steven Andersson, Peter Breen, Mike Fortner, Jeanne Ives, Ron Sandack, Joe Sosnowski, Mike Tryon, Grant Wehrli and Barbara Wheeler. In January, Rep. Wheeler sponsored and filed HR9 calling for the creation of a committee to examine the existing school funding formula.


Domestic violence legislation sponsored by State Representative Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) to allow prosecutors to charge repeat domestic abusers with a higher-level felony was signed into law on Monday, August 18, 2014.

House Bill 4653 provides that any prior convictions for domestic battery, or for any offense which is substantially similar, that occurs in another jurisdiction will trigger penalty enhancements.

Activating higher felony penalties for those charged with domestic abuse will give prosecutors more tools to stop abuse, Sosnowski says.

“These enhanced penalties seek to prevent domestic abusers who show a longstanding pattern of violence, despite the intervention of the criminal justice system, from potentially victimizing more people,” says Sosnowski. Read more.

Representatives John Cabello (left)  & Joe Sosnowski
Two area lawmakers have been selected for a new panel addressing illegal gun trafficking in Illinois.

State Reps. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, and Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, were appointed by House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, to serve on the new bipartisan task force charged with developing a comprehensive plan, including legislative proposals, to disrupt the flow of illegal guns into the state.

“Most gun violence throughout Illinois and the City of Chicago isn’t caused by law-abiding gun owners, rather it comes from criminals who possessed firearms illegally,” said Cabello. “As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I look forward to serving on this committee to put more tools in the hands of law enforcement to keep guns out of the hands of criminals while continuing to protect the rights of upstanding gun owners.”  Read the entire story in the Rock River Times.