May 14
Decatur… In the wake of a critical state audit of the All Kids health insurance program, State Representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) is moving to stop illegal immigrants from receiving state health care benefits.
Apr 08
Job creation is the top priority of State Representative Bill Mitchell, who serves as the ranking Republican on the House Job Creation Task Force. Representative Mitchell is standing up for working families by advancing a pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda.
Too many Illinoisans are out of work. Illinois’ unemployment rate has hit 12% – the highest rate since 1983. Since the recession began, Illinois has lost 407,000 jobs. Locally, unemployment is even worse. Decatur’s unemployment rate is 14.4% and almost 8,000 people are out of work.
Certainly, the national recession has played a large role in this jobs crisis. However, Illinois’ fiscal and tax policies also play a significant role in our near-record unemployment. Illinois ranks a pathetic 48th in job creation. We have fewer jobs today than we did a decade ago. 735,000 people have left the state in the past ten years.
Representative Bill Mitchell has a plan to rebuild our economy and get people back to work. To boost our economy, Representative Mitchell pushed for job creation tax credits (HB 5739, SB 1578). He sponsored legislation to help struggling businesses keep employees working (HB 4659). He supports the effort to streamline permitting and licensure procedures to attract new businesses to Illinois. And Representative Mitchell opposes raising taxes on working families and small businesses.
You can help Representative Mitchell advance his jobs plan by signing the attached jobs petition. Please take a moment to fill out the petition and add your name to the effort to get Illinois’ economy back on track.
Apr 01
http://www.herald-review.com/business/local/article_71a53e6c-e751-5e12-94a0-d631fee51601.html
By CHRIS LUSVARDI – H&R Staff Writer
DECATUR – Small-business owner Otto Klemm would like to see smaller government, less regulation and a tax cut.
Mar 23
Springfield… A House Resolution sponsored by State Representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) to investigate how and why 1,745 prisoners were released early from Illinois state prisons was killed on a procedural motion by the Democrat-controlled House on Tuesday.
House Resolution 991 would create a nonpartisan Early Release Investigative Committee, which shall have the duty of inquiring into, investigating, and reporting to the Illinois House no later than May 1, 2010 on the early release programs implemented by the Department of Corrections in 2009 and 2010, including, but not limited to, the “Meritorious Good Time Push” program.
“Since last summer, I have repeatedly spoken out against the early release of prisoners,” Rep. Mitchell said. “There are still many unanswered questions surrounding Governor Quinn’s early release program that let 1,745 prisoners out under the MGT Push program. We need to investigate how and why so many violent criminals were let out of prison early, many after serving less than 20 days in state prisons.”
Feb 19
Decatur… Citing the $12 billion budget deficit and late payments to schools, State Representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) is calling for a moratorium on new state spending.
Oct 20
Decatur… Citing the high unemployment and job losses in the Decatur area, State Representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) is proposing a job creation package and a jobs summit to be held in the City of Decatur.
Aug 13
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2009/08/13/news/local/1043111.txt
By KENNETH LOWE – H&R Staff Writer
DECATUR – State Rep. Bill Mitchell had some harsh words for the Illinois prison system Wednesday.
Speaking outside the Decatur Correctional Center, the Republican from Forsyth called management within the Illinois Department of Corrections “incompetent,” and called on Gov. Pat Quinn to reverse a decision to lay off about 1,100 works in the state prison system, including 58 in Decatur.
Jul 17
Lincoln… In response to Governor Pat Quinn’s proposal to release prisoners from the Department of Corrections (DOC) for budgetary reasons, State Representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) is proposing legislation to stop their release.
Mar 18
Springfield… After today’s budget address to a joint session of the General Assembly, State Representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) called Governor Quinn’s tax-and-spend budget proposal a real job killer.
Democratic Governor Pat Quinn is calling for $7 billion in income tax increases, corporate loophole closings and tobacco tax increases. The increases average out to be $550 per person or $2,200 for a family of four. Specifically, the Governor wants to increase the income tax rate by 50 percent, from the current 3 percent tax rate to 4.5 percent. Representative Mitchell is disappointed that Quinn is targeting middle-class working families to fund more state spending. Continue reading »
Mar 09
http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2009/03/09/news/state/doc49b4f87bcbd18510703167.prt
By H&R Staff
FORSYTH – A Central Illinois lawmaker is proposing legislation to end what he claims is an unfair policy of giving “sanctuary” to illegal aliens.
State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, intends to push for a vote on House Bill 2659, the “Local Government Compliance with Federal Immigration Law Act,” in a House committee on Wednesday.
