Rep. Mitchell urges the sale of all state-owned aircraft

In June, Governor Pat Quinn announced that he would sell off portion of the state's air fleet.  At the time, State Representative Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth) a long-time critic of the state-owned airplanes, called the move "a step in the right direction" but believed the State should go even further.

After part of the air fleet was put up for auction earlier this week, Rep. Mitchell sent a letter to the Governor urging him to sell the entire executive fleet of state-owned aircraft imploring “it’s time to put an end to these perks of political power.”

In Fiscal Year 2014, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) spent more than $7 million to operate and maintain the State’s fleet of aircraft. IDOT has spent nearly $33 million over the last five years on the air fleet, while costs have gone up by 35 percent. Mitchell feels the daily plane shuttles between Chicago and Springfield are a waste of taxpayer dollars and should be stopped.