James Gitz
| James "Jim" Gitz | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Freeport | |
|
Assumed office May 2013 |
|
| Preceded by | George Gaulrapp |
|
In office May 1997 – May 2005 |
|
| Preceded by | Richard Weis |
| Succeeded by | George Gaulrapp |
| Member of the Illinois Senate from the 35th district |
|
|
In office January 1979 – January 1983 |
|
| Preceded by | John B. Roe |
| Succeeded by | Harlan Rigney |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Florence Township, Illinois |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
Freeport Citizens Party |
| Residence | Freeport, Illinois |
| Alma mater |
Bradley University (B.A.) Northwestern University (J.D.) |
James L. Gitz has been the Mayor of Freeport, Illinois since May 2013. Prior to this he was served two terms as Mayor of Freeport from 1997-2005 and one term in the Illinois Senate from 1979-1983.
Gitz was raised on a farm outside of Freeport, Illinois in Florence Township. He attended Bradley University where he was student body president in 1970 and graduated with a bachelor of arts. After graduating, Gitz served as a legislative liaison of the Capital Development Board of Illinois from 1975-1976. He was also a legislative consultant and aide to then Governor Dan Walker and during the 80th General Assembly he helped draft a bill in the last legislative session aimed at limiting foreign ownership of farmland.
In 1978, Gitz ran on a platform that included support for the Equal Rights Amendment, giving a tax break on inheritance of family farms, overhauling the road fund to improve the downstate road system and restoring confidence in government. Gitz defeated Harold J. Adams of [Davis Junction, Illinois, to represent the 35th district, which at the time was located in the northwestern corner of Illinois and become the youngest member in the Illinois Senate (at that time). In 1979, Gitz opposed authorizing the Illinois Department of Conservation giving back the Rock River Dam in Ogle County to ComEd, which gave the dam to the state in the 1950s.
In 1981, he proposed SB 610 to revise the membership of the Weather Modification Board, appoint the Institute of Natural Resources to oversee weather modification, eliminate licenses for weather modification operations but still require permits, and repeal the Weather Modification Control Act as of October 1, 1991. Also that year, Gitz worked on bills concerning reforms to the Illinois Commerce Commission including bills to prohibit construction works in progress (CWIP) and all other costs of nonutilized capacity, prohibit advertising costs from rate structure, prohibit CWIP and costs of unused land and grant General Assembly oversight of HCC-granted rate increases. After these bills failed to pass the Senate, he spoke out about the status quo on utilities in Illinois saying "what happens down here with bills on the Commerce Commission and utility reform is outrageous."
...
Wikipedia