Lake County Gazette

Illinois state Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) views Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “Restore Illinois” plan to reopen the economy as just the latest example of his failed administration.

“Over 850,000 Illinois citizens have lost their jobs, the Illinois unemployment rate is heading toward 15%, the unemployment benefits system has been dysfunctional, small businesses are permanently closing, food banks are seeing unprecedented demand, and murderers are being released early,” McSweeney told the Lake County Gazette in reeling off what he sees as some of the governor’s greatest shortcomings during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Pritzker stay-at home plans are unacceptable.”

Pritzker five-phase plan calls for a region-by-region reopening of the economy, factoring in that some areas of the state may move more quickly than others. But even as the governor highlights that the state is in the plan's Phase 2, which allows nonessential stores to open on a limited basis, he doesn’t envision the state reaching Phase 5, or fully reopening for business, until a vaccine or effective treatment for the virus becomes available.

McSweeney is convinced a more unified approach would be to the benefit of everyone.

“We must protect the health of our citizens and take more steps to protect Illinois’ nursing homes,” he added. “We should be closely coordinating with the [Centers for Disease Control] and federal officials to implement an immediate country-by-country reopening plan in the areas where the conditions are safe to do so. Unfortunately, Gov. Pritzker has chosen to attack federal officials and play politics.”

McSweeney argues that’s not the only example of Pritzker’s focus being somewhere other than where it should be.

“Gov. Pritzker also refuses to focus on Illinois’ major fiscal problems,” he said. “Unbelievably, the governor wants to raise taxes again on Illinois families, which is completely unacceptable.”