421:. After eight years out of office, Gitz chose to run and in February 2013, he defeated his successor and incumbent mayor George Gaulrapp in the primary for the Citizen's Party. In April, he was elected Mayor of Freeport against People's Party candidate Jon Staben by 71 votes. During the election he was endorsed by the
425:
and the
Journal-Standard, a local newspaper in Freeport. In October 2013, he was once again appointed to the board of directors for the Illinois Municipal League. In 2016, the voters of Freeport, Illinois, abolished the position of full-time mayor. Instead, they voted for a change to a city manager
368:
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
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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
409:
In 1997, he succeeded
Richard Weiss as mayor and was re-elected in 2001 over three other candidates. In 2001 he was appointed to the Illinois Municipal league board of directors where he served until he was defeated in a bid for re-election as Mayor of Freeport in 2005.
349:, 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
345:, 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
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and during the 80th
General Assembly he helped draft a bill in the last legislative session aimed at limiting foreign ownership of farmland.
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the Senate, he spoke out about the status quo on utilities in
Illinois saying "what happens down here with bills on the
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where he was student body president in 1970 and graduated with a bachelor of arts. After graduating, Gitz worked in the
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Gitz was born
September 19, 1948, and raised on a farm outside of Freeport, Illinois in Florence Township. He attended
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form of government. James Gitz then announced that he would not seek the position of part-time mayor.
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of
Illinois from 1975 to 1976. He was also a legislative consultant and aide to then Governor
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Gitz was defeated for re-election in 1982 by State
Representative Harlan Rigney also of
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cite page 59 of the
Official Vote compiled by State Board of Elections November 7, 1978
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October 1, 1991. Also that year, Gitz worked on bills concerning reforms to the
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876:"Our View: Experience matters, so Jim Gitz is best choice for Freeport mayor"
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758:. Office of the Stephenson County Clerk & Recorder. Archived from
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After losing re-election in 2005 he served as the city attorney for
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832:"Election 2013: Jim Gitz back in Freeport mayor's office, barely"
788:"Freeport Mayor Jim Gitz back on Illinois Municipal League board"
854:"Jim Gitz picks up police union endorsement for Freeport mayor"
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In 1978, Gitz ran on a platform that included support for the
810:"Letter to the Editor: City Manager Referendum Deeply Flawed"
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Freeport Police Benevolent and Protective Association Union
753:"Canvass Report of the April 2001 Consolidated Election"
385:. After leaving the Illinois Senate he began classes at
653:"Legislative Action: Dems win big: Madigan wins bigger"
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Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law alumni
519:. Vol. I, no. 7. Sangamon State University
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365:, which gave the dam to the state in the 1950s.
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397:and as Chair of the local Democratic Party in
727:"City Council Member – Ronnie Bush, 3rd Ward"
659:. Illinois Periodicals Online. December 1982
602:"Health, Environment and Energy Legislation"
493:. Illinois Periodicals Online. February 1979
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582:. Illinois Periodicals Online. July 1979
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487:"New Members of the General Assembly"
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387:Northwestern University School of Law
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576:"Bill Summaries for Roll Call Votes"
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450:. MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands
378:and utility reform is outrageous."
351:Illinois Department of Conservation
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729:. City of Freeport. Archived from
626:Lambrecht, William (August 1981).
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14:
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417:, and the city administrator for
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600:Dutton, Julie (September 1981).
542:"Candidates for Illinois Senate"
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297:is an American politician from
928:People from Freeport, Illinois
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830:Crow, Nick (April 10, 2013).
634:. Illinois Periodicals Online
608:. Illinois Periodicals Online
548:. Illinois Periodicals Online
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162: – January 1983
933:Mayors of places in Illinois
711:Illinois Blue Book 1983-1984
695:Illinois Blue Book 1987-1988
679:Illinois Blue Book 1985-1986
511:Sanders, Craig (July 1975).
469:Illinois Blue Book 1979-1980
371:Illinois Commerce Commission
7:
878:. Freeport Journal-Standard
856:. Freeport Journal-Standard
834:. Freeport Journal-Standard
812:. Freeport Journal-Standard
790:. Freeport Journal-Standard
628:"The Politics of Kilowatts"
301:who has served as mayor of
223:Florence Township, Illinois
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808:Gitz, James (2010-10-31).
751:Ross, Diane (2001-04-03).
938:Bradley University alumni
874:Crow, Nick (2013-04-07).
852:Crow, Nick (2013-03-25).
786:Crow, Nick (2013-12-23).
327:Capital Development Board
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913:Illinois state senators
276:Northwestern University
244:Freeport Citizens Party
513:"Students in Politics"
419:Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
343:Equal Rights Amendment
143:from the 35th district
923:Illinois Independents
444:"James Laverne Gitz"
376:Commerce Commission
16:American politician
918:Illinois Democrats
448:Martindale-Hubbell
383:Freeport, Illinois
319:Bradley University
303:Freeport, Illinois
295:James Laverne Gitz
265:Bradley University
253:Freeport, Illinois
217:September 19, 1948
405:Mayor of Freeport
399:Stephenson County
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880:. Retrieved
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241:affiliations
187:Succeeded by
149:
127:Succeeded by
121:Richard Weis
91:
81:Succeeded by
45:
903:1948 births
359:Ogle County
180:John B. Roe
175:Preceded by
117:Preceded by
85:Jodi Miller
71:Preceded by
897:Categories
882:2014-03-29
860:2014-03-28
838:2014-03-28
816:2014-03-29
794:2014-03-28
769:2014-03-28
737:2014-03-28
663:2014-03-28
638:2014-03-29
612:2014-03-29
586:2014-03-29
552:2014-03-28
497:2014-03-28
430:References
331:Dan Walker
313:Early life
260:Alma mater
233:Democratic
213:1948-09-19
523:14 August
454:14 August
393:from the
249:Residence
150:In office
92:In office
46:In office
471:page 136
299:Illinois
166:1983-Jan
158:1979-Jan
108:2005-May
100:1997-May
62:2017-May
54:2013-May
38:Freeport
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763:(PDF)
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363:ComEd
34:Mayor
525:2021
456:2021
281:J.D.
270:B.A.
207:Born
361:to
357:in
36:of
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