SPRINGFIELD – To invest in water system improvements in the community, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Development has awarded the City of Farmington $500,000 in the form of Community Development Block Grant, State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) announced today.

“Thanks to this program, Farmington is at long last being given a chance to make necessary upgrades to outdated water infrastructure. I’m excited to follow this project’s development,” Koehler said.

The Community Development Block Grant program is a federally funded initiative designed to support community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs, and infrastructure development.

SPRINGFIELD – Yesterday, Gov. JB Pritzker vetoed House Bill 3902, which would reinstate Illinois’ sales tax exemption for aircraft materials, prioritizing jobs in the aviation-repair industry and allowing business to compete with 35 other states.

State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) issued the following statement:

“The reality of the situation is that this exemption helps our state remain competitive in the aviation industry, and it needs to be reinstated. Without it, aviation companies will outsource these good-paying jobs to other states. We should prioritize the nearly 3,400 jobs across the state that are being threatened due to the governor’s decision.”

Peoria is home to Byerly Aviation, a state of the art facility offering maintenance, charters, and aircraft sales.

SPRINGFIELD – Legislation co-sponsored by State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) that would ensure the preservation of manufacturing jobs in the Peoria area passed the Senate with bipartisan support yesterday.

“The point of this legislation is simple: to keep good-paying jobs in our area,” Koehler said. “Without this tax exemption there is no question that aviation companies would have to take a long look at doing business elsewhere.”

Peoria is home to Byerly Aviation, a company that offers maintenance, charters and aircraft sales.

This legislation would reinstate the Illinois state sales tax exemption for materials used in aircraft manufacturing, which expired Dec. 31, 2014.

SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to save taxpayer money, State Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) voted in favor of a measure today that will consolidate police and firefighter pensions.

“The passage of this bipartisan legislation was years in the making, and I’m thrilled my colleagues and I were able to work with the governor’s office to address a part of our serious pension problem,” Koehler said. “We’re saving taxpayers money and increasing retirement security for those who risk their lives on a daily basis.”

Under this legislation, the roughly 650 separate pension funds for downstate police officers and firefighters will be consolidated into two individual and separate funds. The fund consolidation will happen over a 30-month transition period beginning upon the legislation becoming law and is estimated to save Illinois taxpayers nearly $160 million annually while not affecting individual pension amounts.

PEKIN – Peoria area residents were able to clear their homes of broken and outdated electronics in a safe, environmentally friendly manner thanks to an electronics recycling event hosted by State Senator Dave Koehler.

The event took place at Area Recycling in Pekin with the help of Kuusakoski Recycling, an e-waste recycler with corporate offices in Plainfield.

“The partnership between my office, Area Recycling, and Kuusakoski has been extraordinary,” Koehler (D-Peoria) said. “It’s my sincere hope that we will be able to provide this service to area residents, and I’m going to do everything in my power to ensure the continuation of this event.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler took the first steps toward a more inclusive business climate in Illinois as the Diversity Task Force on Disadvantaged Business Enterprises, Minority Business Enterprises, and Women Business Enterprises met for the first time yesterday.

Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) and State Senator Mattie Hunter (D-Chicago) were appointed to this task force earlier this month.

“I’m honored to have been selected as the chair of this task force composed of a truly remarkable group of people,” Koehler said. “It’s vital that we give opportunities to contribute to our state’s economy, regardless of race, religion, gender, or sexual identity, and I look forward to the progress we will make together.”

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Dave Koehler joined with colleagues for a press conference today highlighting a solution to counter the skyrocketing cost of prescription insulin.

“For far too long pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to take advantage of people who require this medication to live, and it’s unacceptable,” Koehler (D-Peoria) said. “Working to ease the financial burden on families who require prescription insulin is the humane thing to do.”

Senate Bill 667 would cap out of pocket insulin expenses at $100 for a 30-day supply.

CANTON – Texas-based energy generator Vistra announced today that they are closing several downstate Illinois coal-fired power plants, including the Duck Creek plant in Canton.

Assistant Majority Leader Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) represents Canton and issued the following statement:

“I am incredibly saddened by the announcement that Duck Creek will close. The hardships that the workers at this plant will endure cannot be understated. They are not statistics or lines on a balance sheet. They are human beings, and I stand committed to working with the governor’s administration in Springfield to bring much needed economic support to both their families and the rest of the Fulton County community.

“The fact is the current business market for coal-based energy is simply no longer sustainable. As we transition to an energy economy that focuses on limiting emissions, we must be proactive in helping those communities that this will adversely effect.”

The Duck Creek plant was opened in 1976 and employs around 60 people.