Bill favors Illinois car manufacture      

[JAN. 25, 2005]  NORMAL -- At the Mitsubishi plant in Normal, state Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, unveiled legislation Monday aimed at boosting the sale of cars manufactured in Illinois and employment opportunities.

"The state of Illinois, in many different instances, gives preference to particular groups or vendors to promote business and job opportunities here at home," Mitchell said. "I would like to extend that preference to companies who build cars in Illinois."

House Bill 294 would require any state agency purchasing or leasing a car to give preference to a car assembled in the state of Illinois. If the price is more than 10 percent greater than a car made out of state, then the bill allows for the purchase of an out-of-state vehicle over the Illinois-made vehicle.

"The Mitsubishi plant here in Normal was recently forced to lay off around 1,200 employees because of globally declining car sales," Mitchell said. "These layoffs hurt families and local communities like Peoria, Bloomington, Normal, Decatur and Clinton. I feel that where ever possible, the state needs to set an example and buy products manufactured in Illinois."

Mitchell acknowledges that this law would not have prevented the layoffs. "What it would do is send the message to our employers that we appreciate them being located in Illinois and we want them to stay," he said.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Statistics, Illinois lost 7,100 manufacturing jobs from November 2003 to November 2004. Preliminary figures indicate that Illinois lost manufacturing jobs every month in 2004, except for two.

"These are jobs families across Illinois depend upon," Mitchell said. "If we want to keep good jobs in Illinois to help our economy, our state government needs to do its part and buy Illinois goods."

The state of Illinois owns 4,055 vehicles.

[News release from Rep. Bill Mitchell]