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Indiana State
Representative
District # 74
Russ Stilwell
hard
work, sound values, common sense, respect and
trust of working families
Candidate Bio
- Russ Stilwell was elected to the
Indiana House of Representatives in his first attempt at public
office in 1996. He was elected House Majority Leader in 2002
and House Democrat Floor Leader in 2004 and he has served on
numerous House Committees including Labor & Employment, Public
Policy, Road and Transportation, Rural Affairs and Agriculture,
Rules Committee and Ethics Committee. Russ has also been elected as
a participant at numerous State and National Democrat Conventions.
Russ and his wife Joanna, a self-employed small
business owner, reside in Boonville, Indiana. They have grown twin sons,
Matt who is a school teacher and coach in Jasper, IN and his wife Lisa, and Ben who is an
engineer in Evansville and his wife Amy. They have four grandchildren;
Taylor, Kailyn, Cole and Joey.
A third generation coal miner, Russ was
drafted into the U.S. armed forces shortly after High School. He was
honorably discharged from the U.S. Army in 1969 after serving in a combat
infantry unit in Vietnam. After returning home, Russ began work as a coal
miner in Warrick County. While working the evening shift at the mine, Russ
returned to school under the G.I. Bill where he earned his B.S. degree in
Political and Social Science from the University of Southern Indiana.
A good listener, a common sense approach to problems and a
tireless voice for Hoosiers,
Representative Stilwell continued working in the coal mines until he
was promoted to a position representing coal miners for his union in
the 1980's. He retired from the United Mineworkers after a 35-year
career. He was the union’s national Political Coordinator overseeing
several states.
Representative Stilwell also was selected
as one of 75 Americans who oversaw the first free and fair elections in
South Africa in 1994. He also was appointed by former Gov. Evan Bayh to two
terms to the Indiana Air Pollution Control Board, and is a former member of
the State Utility Regulatory Nominating Commission and the State Solid Waste
Facility Site Approval Authority. Representative Stilwell is a member of VFW,
American Legion, Elks, Red Cross, Community Activities and the Methodist Church.
Goals
-
Russ believes that hard work, sound
values, common sense and a respect and trust of working families is
essential to a productive life and good government. He has spent his
entire adult live working as a coal miner and representing working-class
people and their families. He has continued that role as an outspoken
proponent for working families in Indianapolis and will continue that in
the future.
Russ worked alongside other state
lawmakers to help approved the historic plan that will cut property taxes,
preserve education funding and other crucial state services, and help
create and attract new jobs. He was instrumental in working to pass the
final bipartisan legislation that will have a positive and significant
impact on the lives of most people in Indiana.
Russ Stilwell has
worked his entire life for the betterment of working families and
hard working Hoosiers. And he has made a difference too. Throughout
his career with the mineworkers, Russ has championed issues that
make life better for hard working Hoosier families. During his first
term in the legislature in 1997, Russ showed his independence by
refusing to vote for a budget of his own party until issues
important to Hoosier families were addressed. And they were.
Every since the historic workers compensation and unemployment
insurance gains in the 1997 session led by Representative Stilwell,
we have made progress for our state’s workers. That’s why each year
Russ leads the fight for meaningful increases and reform in
unemployment insurance and worker’s compensation. His efforts have
resulted in a 50% plus increases in worker’s compensation award
benefits and a nearly the same in unemployment insurance payments to
unemployed workers. Unemployment insurance benefits have increased
from $207 to $390 with his authorship of unemployment insurance
legislation during his tenure. Russ authored the highly successful
Skill 2016 Program that provided nearly $16 million per year for
worker training programs. And this was done without a tax increase
to employers or our state!
"Our communities, our state and our
nation should be judged, not by how we treat our highest citizens, but by
how we treat our lowest citizens. Then we can be assured that all citizens
and all Hoosiers are treated fairly."
"I believe that you must care about issues folks in your
district bring to you. I believe that you must address every
phone call, every email and every concern just like you would
want someone to do for you or your family. I have done my best
to serve you and your family. I hope I have earned your trust. I
ask you for your vote in the upcoming election."
- To email Representative Stilwell:
click
here
hard
work, sound values, common sense, respect and
trust of working families
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