Dupage Policy Journal

Jeanne Ives thinks the people of Illinois deserve more answers about all the changes they’re suddenly being forced to live through.

“Gov. Pritzker needs to share with the people of Illinois the specific numbers behind his executive order to ‘shelter in place,’” Ives, running against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Sean Casten in the Sixth Congressional District, told the DuPage Policy Journal. “While everyone is concerned about the spread of the virus, Illinois is a big diverse state where perhaps such an order should be made regionally or locally based on the evidence of infection.”

All across the state, concerns about government overreach are mounting based on the actions of certain lawmakers. Prior to Pritzker’s order going into effect, the Champaign City Council enacted an ordinance that gives the mayor and city council the power to do everything from limit gun sales to ration utilities and seize private property.

The newly approved legislation also gives leaders the power to impose emergency curfews, bar residents from public buildings and shutter businesses over the next 28 days.

While city attorney Fred Stavins stressed that no added actions are currently being called for and that the policies have actually been part of the city code for more than a decade, Ives still has other concerns.

“Businesses that have been forced to close and the employees affected are hurting significantly and if we can handle the infection with less aggressive means based on experience than that should be considered,” she said.

In the meantime, Ives views Pritzker's running war of words with President Donald Trump as being counter-productive.

“Arguing with the President because Illinois is not prepared for a pandemic does nothing to solve the problem,” she said. “We have some of the best healthcare institutions and manufacturers in the world. I am positive they will rise to the challenge of combating this crisis.”