SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Emil Jones III (D-Chicago) voted today to increase the Illinois minimum wage to $15 by 2025.

If approved and signed by the governor, it would be the first minimum wage increase in Illinois in a decade.

“Increasing the minimum wage is something we have been waiting to do for years,” Jones said. “Personally, I’ve been eager to see the minimum wage increase again since coming to the Senate in 2009.”

Under the proposal, the state’s minimum hourly wage of $8.25 would increase incrementally to $15 per hour between now and 2025. The legislation, Senate Bill 1, also calls for a tax credit to help businesses that employ fewer than 50 workers offset the wage increase.

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ALSIP – Laramie Park in Alsip is a beneficiary of a $400,000 state grant, State Senator Emil Jones III revealed today.
The Open Space Land Acquisition and Development Program grant program is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“Families of the Alsip community will be ecstatic that their park is receiving a renovation,” Jones said. “Every park in my district is important to me and I’m pleased to see that Laramie Park is one of the parks that will benefit from this grant.”

Additional Projects in the 14th Senate District that received OSLAD grants include:

• Park 584 West Pullman community - $350,000 for development
• Bremen Heights Park - $400,000 for redevelopment
• Palmer Park - $400,000 for redevelopment

SPRINGFIELD – Residents of the South Suburbs will see a reduction in their property tax bills as a result of a school funding reform law offering relief to school districts with high taxes.

“Funding our schools through property taxes has been a burden for our communities for countless years and it’s great to see that some homeowners and small businesses will see that burden lessened.” Jones said. “I’m glad to see that Patton School District will see the benefit of this.”

The school district who’s eligible for the tax relief grant:
• Gen. George Patton School District 133: $170,552.13

Eligible schools districts must submit an abatement resolution to their county clerks by March 30. If the school district qualifies, the ISBE will issue the grants to the schools who are most suitable.
“Education will always be a top agenda for our state, but we also need to ensure that the impact of education funding falls upon our residents fairly,” Jones said. “This is a big step toward achieving that.”
For more information, the Property Tax Relief Grant and a listing of each eligible school district can be found at www.ISBE.net/proptaxrelief.

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SPRINGFIELD – Advocating for public safety, protecting health care and improving criminal justice laws will continue to be priorities for State Senator Emil Jones III, who was sworn in for another term today at the Illinois Capitol.

Jones first was elected to the Senate in 2009.

“Knowing the atmosphere is changing with the 101st General Assembly gives me confidence that I will be able to do more for my district and the state,” Jones said. “I look forward to tackling the issues facing Illinois, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue representing the 14th District.”    

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