“I want to know when legislators, state employees and labor unions are going to start participating in the economic downturn tied to the health pandemic. Families and businesses have tightened budgets to adjust to their new financial realities, yet the Governor continues to protect certain groups of Illinoisans while insisting that businesses and private sector employees shoulder a massive share of the pandemic burden. Government-imposed shutdowns have decimated the small business community, and rather than imposing new taxes on them, the Governor should be providing a pathway for them to rebuild and recover.
“We need to create jobs and opportunities to help our state emerge from this economic downturn. The Governor’s decision to roll back key economic incentives, like those included in the Blue Collar Jobs Act of 2019, undermines these efforts. The reforms included in the Blue Collar Jobs Act incentivize job creation and put skilled construction workers to work. By reneging on these negotiated reforms, Governor Pritzker is turning his back on Illinoisans who want to work, earn a living, and support their families. I will continue to be a voice for those who the Governor routinely ignores.”