Lake County Gazette

Republican state Senate candidate Chris Kasperski argues Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic has only made the suffering worse for many state residents.

“By restricting people's access to but a few locations, Gov. Pritzker put Illinoisians at an even greater risk,” Kasperski told the Lake County Gazette. “His restrictions overwhelmed essential workers, as the demand for their services increased at the expense of all those who were forced to stay home. We do not need our leaders to cause people to panic. We need leaders who are willing to work through the problem to find solutions that won't worsen our current condition.”

Now running against state Sen. Melinda Bush (D-Grayslake) in the 31st District, Kasperski worries Prizker’s latest plan could backfire into even more pain and suffering. 

Citing rising coronavirus infection rates, the governor recently warned the state could be headed for even more restrictions as at least 11 counties have now eclipsed “warning level.”

Kasperski said he can’t see how the state can afford it.

“We are encountering more problems as a result of the lockdown that will not be resolved if the government orders repeating shutdowns,” he said.  “Illinois' economy has long suffered from the virus of corruption, and we do not have the luxury of a rainy day fund to help ease this burden.”

Kasperski laments the pain has been most felt by hard-hit small business owners, putting an exclamation point on how he feels Pritzker shouldn’t be making such impactful decisions individually.

“The Illinois General Assembly has repeatedly delegated their legislative authority over to the Pritzker Administration to act unilaterally while they take shelter in their districts,” he said. “They need to do the right thing, assemble in Springfield, and represent us. Otherwise, we entirely lack representation in our government while paying among the highest tax burdens in the nation. The General Assembly needs to work through this problem, conduct oversight of the Pritzker bureaucracy, and fight for their constituents.”