Illinois Valley Times

Veteran Illinois state Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Elmhurst) says Gov. J.B. Pritzker may finally be on the right track in terms of helping the economy rebound from the clutches of the COVID-19 pandemic, but she worries whether small business owners can survive some of his questionable timelines.

“I feel it’s a good start, but it clearly takes too long in allowing the economy to reopen and in allowing businesses to return to operating in a safe manner,” Rezin told the Illinois Valley Times. “Under his plan, it could be months and months before small businesses are able to get back to business, especially when you’re talking about the upper phases of his plan.”

The governor’s five-phase “Restore Illinois” plan calls for fully restarting the economy on a region-by-region basis that recognizes some areas of the state may return to normal sooner than others.   

But even with the state in the plan's Phase 2, which allows nonessential stores to operate at reduced levels, Pritzker doesn’t envision the state reaching Phase 5, or being ready to fully reopen for business, until a vaccine or effective treatment for the virus becomes available.

That's a significant concern for Rezin.

“You worry about how many of our small businesses can actually survive something like that,” she said. “The governor says he’s using data and science to guide his decisions, but I would argue it has to be the correct data. The whole reason for the stay-at-home order was so our hospitals would not be overwhelmed and I think we’ve shown we can bend the curve with things like social-distancing and other precautions.”

In the end, Rezin said making sure the governor sends the right message also has critical value.

“Other states are sending a positive message to their small businesses in the steps they're taking to help them,” she said. “Right now, I’m afraid the governor’s plan is telling small businesses they’re on their own when it comes to rather or not they’re able to survive.”