Uncertainty is amplifying the difficulty of the COVID-19 crisis, and Illinoisans need information on what a safe reopening will look like.
Farmers have always proven resilient and ultimately will survive the virus and anything state government lobs at them.
State sheds 34,100 jobs during early stages of COVID-19 economic fallout.
Illinoisans shoulder among the highest tax burdens of any state, and that should come with robust services. But soaring debt and pension costs have left too little room for the things residents need most from government.
“Locksmithing tends to be one of those recession-proof businesses. Unfortunately, when others come across financial pain, we do better, but that all changes when all customers are forced to close."
“I need to pay bills. I’m just terrified, because I don’t know what’s going to happen next. “If my job does start back up, it will be five hours a week and I won’t be able to get unemployment. We need to pay our electric [bill]. We have to pay property taxes, water, Internet, phone...
“I see a lot of people supporting the bars and restaurants to help keep the small-town businesses alive, and I’m happy for them. But they forget about people like us. I’m not getting promotion from anyone but myself."
“In Illinois, I feel like I’m just swimming upstream constantly. Delaying property tax collections later on would absolutely help, especially because we don’t know where we’re going to be in October."
“Anything you can do to reduce the regulatory and taxation environment in this state would help.
“Nurses are scared because we’ve got to come back home to our kids. We had my son stop his job because we don’t need multiple risks coming in and out of the house."
Unemployment is hitting record levels in Illinois with weeks to go until the COVID-19 stay-at-home order expires. Federal action made self-employed workers eligible, but Illinois could be months away from handling their claims.
“Anything that’s delayed at this point [taxes or other business expenses] I think would be beneficial. Our property taxes are not inexpensive. So, if that’s money we can keep in our accounts to pay to vendors or pay the staff, every dollar would help."
The federal government authorized a financial aid program for small businesses that have closed their doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but state and local government also offer assistance.
“In our country we should not have children who don’t have three meals a day. And we have a lot of that. We just picked up a family of seven that hasn’t eaten for two or three days."