Senator Jil Tracy says the Governor’s plan to re-open Illinois is too little, too late, and could very well mean the closing of many small businesses in west central Illinois.

The 47th District Senator says the Governor’s plans for a regional re-opening of the state’s economy do not reflect the diverse nature of the state and how communities across Illinois have been affected differently by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Data from COVID-19 hotspots like Chicago are being used to make decisions that affect our entire state. These decisions are being made by our Governor in Chicago with little legislative input so the one-size-fits-all orders are unfairly being applied to areas that do not need these restrictions,” Senator Tracy said. “We would like to know what factors went into making some of these decisions. Were downstate interests ever considered? This continued quarantine could be the end of many of our small businesses in the 47th District.”

Senator Tracy says a top priority is keeping citizens safe; however, it is past time that the lawmakers return to Springfield and be allowed to have a say in important decisions that are currently being made solely by Pritzker.

“Many important issues still need to be acted on by lawmakers in Springfield,” Senator Tracy said. “By observing all necessary Public Health protocols, we should be able to return to our work in the Capitol, even if it is for a short while, to have input in developing a budget for our state for the coming fiscal year, as well as a plan of action to get our economy back on its feet when the health crisis eases.”