OpEd: Senator Patrick Joyce (September 2023)
OpEd: Senator Patrick Joyce (September 2023) (Kankakee, IL) — There’s an exciting new energy in Kankakee County from our ongoing work to embrace the next generation of technology to power our economy.
I was excited to join our top leaders in Manteno earlier this month to announce a new, $2 billion electric vehicle battery gigafactory coming to the region.
With production beginning next year, Gotion will build state-of-the-art electric vehicle batteries at the new plant. That will help meet the expected demand for electric vehicles across the country, with a focus on lithium-ion battery cells, battery packs, and energy storage system integration.
The state of Illinois will fund a new manufacturing training academy near the plant site, and award grants to workforce providers to expand training and prepare employees for their new jobs at the plant directly from our region. This historic investment will create more than 2,6000 new jobs in Manteno.
Local families will benefit directly from these good-paying career opportunities. Our communities will benefit from local people having more disposable income to buy homes, visit restaurants and retailers, and invest in our future success. As Mayor Nugent of Manteno said, this is a big win for Manteno, for Kankakee County, and for the State of Illinois.
We’re also making exciting investments from Springfield in our local school systems. Our local school systems in Kankakee, Grundy, Cook, and Will counties in the 40th Senate District will receive nearly more than $7.6 million in additional funding through an overhaul of K-12 education spending known as evidence-based formula funding. This translates into more than $1 million for Kankakee schools, and for schools in Crete-Monee and Manhattan. Steger and Chicago Heights schools will get $1 million extra.
As we bring exciting innovation to our region through the battery manufacturing plant, I’m encouraged that we are investing in our future generations every day by supporting our school systems.
We joined with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources as summer ends to celebrate the reopening of the Chippewa campground at Kankakee River State Park.
The campground, located on Illinois 102 with 98 campsites, closed at the end of the fall 2015 camping season when a large well pump broke that provided water for drinking, bathing, clothes washing and more. The two-year state budget impasse delayed progress, but we have worked closely with IDNR to make sure it remained a priority.
Our commitment to the outdoors and restoring our wonderful parks system here and across the state is strong, and I hope everyone enjoys the reopened Chippewa campground as we head into the beautiful fall season. You can make reservations at: https://www.exploremoreil.com/
I urge you to contact me anytime I can help: 708-756-0882, or at http://www.
Sen. Patrick Joyce
D-Essex, 40th State Senate District
OpEd: Senator Patrick Joyce (September 2023)
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