Illinois State House District 41 issued the following announcement on May 13.
House Republicans have been asking for weeks that the General Assembly reconvene so our voices can be part of the COVID-19 response discussion. Today we finally received word that we’re returning to Springfield. We’ll be in session from Wednesday through Friday (May 20-22) of next week. The House of Representatives will hold session at the large Springfield Convention Center and the Senate will meet at the Capitol. These changes will permit proper social distancing.
Safety procedures are in place to protect the health of lawmakers and staff. Lawmakers must take a COVID-19 test before traveling to Springfield and we have been told not to carpool. Along with social distancing requirements, we will all be required to wear face coverings and take advantage of hand sanitizing stations that will be placed throughout the buildings. These are reasonable requirements that will minimize risk.
Rep. Wehrli to File Legislation Leveling Business Playing Field during COVID-19 Crisis
Retailers in the 41st District and across Illinois are suffering significant losses while they see big box stores that sell the same products continue to operate. Our small businesses employ the majority of Illinoisans. They are our job creators, and we must do whatever we can to allow them to reopen their businesses safely and responsibly.
I’m proud to announce that I’m part of a group of House Republicans that are finalizing legislation that will support small businesses that are at risk of permanent financial ruin due to the COVID-19 pandemic.The Fair Business Treatment Act, which will be filed this week, seeks to provide all Illinois small businesses with the same opportunities that are currently afforded to larger, big box stores like Walmart and Target. The proposal would alleviate the existing disparity within Governor Pritzker’s stay home order, which allows large retailers to remain open, while small businesses that sell the same goods are forced to remain closed.
Neighboring states like Wisconsin and Iowa are relaxing restrictions for small businesses. Their small businesses are reopening with safety regulations in place to protect public health. I believe that if Illinoisans are deemed ‘safe’ by wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing in big box stores, they will certainly be equally safe if those same regulations are enforced for small businesses. It’s just common sense.
In a recent statewide poll conducted by Ogden and Fry, Illinois residents strongly support opening small retail businesses, if they follow the same social distancing requirements as big box stores. Of the 493 polled, 75% agreed that small retail stores should be open.
Governor Waits until After Deadline for Constitutional Amendment Filings to Reconvene Legislature
I’m glad our calls to reconvene the General Assembly were heard, but I can’t help but wonder about the timing. Legislatures in states all around Illinois have been conducting business safely for weeks now during the COVID-19 crisis. But the Democrats who control the State of Illinois kept lawmakers sidelined until after the May 3 deadline for putting Constitutional Amendments on the November ballot passed. As a result, the only amendment question the people of Illinois will be able to vote on this November is Governor Pritzker’s graduated income tax initiative. Illinoisans were denied the opportunity to vote on critical reforms like fair maps and pensions. Many of us believe this was by design.
I look forward to returning to Springfield so that lawmakers can finally have a voice in Illinois’ response to COVID-19. But the fact that those with the power to reconvene the legislature waited until after the May 3 deadline for Constitutional Amendments passed is typical of how they control the Illinois agenda.
DuPage County to Offer Small Business Relief Grants
In an effort to assist small businesses and independent contractors impacted by COVID-19, DuPage County, in cooperation with Choose DuPage, is providing grants to assist with employee retention payroll costs, utilities and rent.
Small businesses with fewer than 15 full-time employees and less than $1.5 million in annual revenue may apply for a grant up to $15,000. Independent contractors with more than 50% of their annual income coming from 1099 work, and an annual income of less than $100,000 may apply for a grant up to $7,500. Businesses and contractors that have received other funds intended for COVID-19 relief are not eligible to apply. Applications will be accepted online beginning Monday, May 18.
An informational webinar about this new program is scheduled for Friday, May 15 at 11:00 AM.
Lawmakers Must Address $8 Billion Hole in Fiscal Year 2021 Budget
The economic devastation tied to the health pandemic has left a gaping hole on the revenue side of the FY 2021 budget. In a budget briefing earlier this week, we got our first glimpse at the magnitude of the problem.
When Governor Pritzker presented his recommended FY 2021 budget in January, it included $42 billion in spend. He claimed his budget would balance as long as his graduated income tax ballot initiative passed. At the time, I was vocal with my disagreement about the Governor’s decision to include money in his budget that hadn’t been voted on yet.
With the graduated income tax money backed out of his budget proposal, revenues for next year were estimated to be $36.3 billion. Within his budget, $22.6 billion was “above the line” revenue, or required spending that cannot be eliminated. That left $13.7 billion in “below the line,” funds, or revenue that is subject to allocation by legislators. Our new revenue picture, with passage of the graduated income tax removed, shows an $8 billion revenue deficit within the Governor’s $42 billion spending plan.
If there is a silver lining, this massive revenue shortfall should finally force lawmakers to prioritize spending. We face a daunting challenge and I am hopeful that legislators will finally start exercising some fiscal restraint. Now is not the time to heap even more taxes on Illinoisans who have faced financial hardship due to the Coronavirus fallout. This holds especially true for small business owners who are truly struggling right now and would bear the brunt of a successful graduated income tax initiative. We need to have thoughtful, bipartisan discussions of budget priorities, and retool the FY 2021 budget to fit within our new revenue realities.
Illinois’ Economic Recovery Tops House Republicans List of Priorities as Session Reconvenes
When we return to Springfield, along with typical May action on a budget, we also need to consider legislation that will assist in our state’s economic recovery. Our path forward is long, but there are steps we can take to aid in the restoration of our economy. House Republican priorities for assisting in the economic recovery include:
Repeal Progressive Tax Constitutional Amendment –The General Assembly needs to remove the Progressive Tax Amendment from the ballot, repeal the accompanying high tax rates, and commit to no new taxes. Businesses and residents need certainty in these chaotic times.
Reexamine the Minimum Wage Mandate – The General Assembly failed to recognize regionalization and other factors as it rushed to pass a minimum wage bill last year. An additional government mandate creating higher costs for our employers when they are in such a perilous position needs to be re-evaluated immediately.
Enhanced Access to Government Services – We must eliminate all of the red tape. Professional, firearm, driver and educational licenses should all be automatically extended and an easy process should be created for first time applicants and for renewals of expired licenses. This will help get people back into the Illinois workforce. Additionally, fees ranging from starting a small business to trailer licensing should be reduced.
Property Tax Payment Fairness – Many homeowners have lost sources of income during this time, so we must remove late fee penalties from property taxes and stop all tax sales in an effort to help them stay on their feet and in their homes.
Property Tax Relief –To help our struggling homeowners, farmers, businesses and local governments, we must look to cut property tax bills in meaningful ways, including by reducing state mandates.
Protect Unemployment Insurance Benefits – Closures of non-essential businesses and stay at home orders have resulted in mass layoffs in many sectors of our economy. Employers should not be punished with higher insurance costs due to mandated closures. Unemployed workers experiencing delays in benefits processing deserve better customer service from IDES.
Enhance Business Liquidity – As the pandemic continues, sales and payroll tax collections should be deferred. All businesses across the state should be covered by the deferral to make sure they have the necessary cash flow available to them. The state should also institute a tax credit to incentivize hiring of Illinois residents and college graduates.
Creation of Business Loan Program – Dedicated state resources like cannabis and liquor taxes should be temporarily redirected to create a statewide microloan program for small businesses to give them access to much needed capital.
Standardizing Essential Businesses and Working towards Reopening –We must quickly work to create a practical regional approach to begin reopening our storefronts when it is deemed safe to do so.
Automatic Sunset Extensions – We need to automatically extend all sunsets that expire in the next 3 years. This is especially important for our healthcare workers as they have many more pressing issues to address outside of lobbying the General Assembly.
Original source can be found here.
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