(The Center Square) – A state lawmaker is accusing U.S. senators and the governor of taking credit for Stellantis bringing jobs back to Belvidere, Illinois.
State Rep. Adam Niemerg, R-Dieterich, said the plant shut down under Gov. J.B. Pritzker, under Sens. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Dick Durbin (D-IL), and under former President Joe Biden, and it’s now reopening under Donald Trump.
“Senators Duckworth and Durbin, they’re trying to take credit with some press releases on the jobs coming back. But this plant closing is a direct result of bad policies that the Democrats continue to enact,” said Niemerg. “We’ve spent hundreds of million dollars on green new energy that is just not market shareable or productive. Within a few days of Donald Trump being back in office, we see 1,500 jobs coming back to Illinois for a midsize pickup truck to be manufactured here in the state of Illinois. Congratulations, President Trump.”
Pritzker commended the UAW for resolving its grievances with Stellantis concerning the reopening. Pritzker said in a statement, “My administration has worked tirelessly with our partners to secure this investment and we are excited to see it come to fruition.”
“I’m thrilled that Stellantis is following through on their agreement with the UAW. This victory is a direct result of the solidarity of workers on the picket lines and UAW members nationwide,” said State Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, in a statement.
Niemerg said Trump met with the Stellantis stakeholders and that’s why the jobs are coming to Illinois.
Stellantis announced in 2024 it is investing $6 billion into its Brazil facility between 2025 and 2030. The Center Square asked Niemerg about Trump tariffs being used to force Stellantis to invest in the Belvidere plant.
“I think the America First agenda and what Donald Trump has always stood for and continues to stand for is a big reason why Stellantis has decided to put more money back into this plant,” said Niemerg.
In a statement, Illinois congressman Eric Sorensen said he’s proud to have fought alongside UAW workers to hold the big auto companies accountable and make this happen.
“This isn’t just about bringing manufacturing home; It’s about giving Rockford-area families the good-paying jobs they deserve to support their families and thrive,” Sorensen said in a statement.
Illinois Policy Institute’s Dylan Sharkey said Stellantis bringing jobs to the state is good news but small businesses are still hurting.
“Illinois has a long way to go if we want to fix our business climate and turn the state into a destination for new companies and workers. Focusing only on big businesses, it misses that small businesses are the ones driving most of the new jobs in the state, and those companies are still struggling,” said Sharkey “Mostly because Illinois has the second highest property tax in the country. We have the second highest corporate income taxes in the country. Those two things are huge deterrents for new businesses and already established ones.”
Niemerg said property taxes being out of control contributes to business and jobs leaving the state.
“If you are a business owner, if you want to operate a business, if you’re a small business owner, mid-sized, large business owner, you’re looking at your payroll, you’re looking at your bottom line, you’re looking at the cost to supply goods and services in your market,” said Niemerg. “We have a long way to go here in the state of Illinois, and I think that the people of the state of Illinois are fed up, and they want middle-class jobs to come back, they want blue-collar jobs.”
