Governor’s “Re-Opening Plan” Really a 12-Month Stay-At-Home Plan

After weeks of questions from legislators, the Governor has finally laid out his plan for re-opening Illinois. While I was initially hopeful that the plan seemed to provide for a regional re-opening of our state’s economy, the plan amounts to little more than a 12-month stay-at-home plan.

I have a number of concerns about the plan:

• Why split the state into only four regions? In our area, Lake, Kane, and McHenry counties will be treated exactly the same as downtown Chicago. By comparison, New York is split into 10 regions despite being geographically smaller than Illinois.
• Why does the plan include a minimum of 28 days between changes in phases? This is double what any other state is doing.
• What data is being used to justify the 28-day standard? What experts have been consulted? The people of Illinois deserve transparency on these questions.
• Why continue to penalize small businesses? Citizens can go to big-box stores to buy furniture or clothing, and they can go to the grocery store to buy flowers, but they can’t go into small businesses that offer these same services.
• Under this plan, communities of faith would have to wait until there is a vaccine or a treatment to begin holding services at normal capacities. Why not let them re-open following appropriate social-distancing requirements?
• Need a haircut? Under this plan, you’ll have to wait until at least June.
• Full re-opening of Illinois will take from 9-15 months – meaning emergency declarations every 30 days granting the Governor virtually unlimited authority.
• Why not consult the legislature? There is no legislative oversight over any of these decisions and actions. We need the co-equal branches of our state’s government to be allowed to provide critical checks-and-balances on governmental overreach.

It is well past time that legislative leaders call us back to session and put this right. Voices of communities throughout Illinois must be heard as we try to move Illinois toward a new normal.

If you agree, sign the Petition

Throughout our state, small businesses have spent nearly two months closed while big-box stores offering the same goods and services have remained open for business. If a small business can operate safely according to public health guidelines, they should be allowed to fully reopen as well. If you agree, sign the petition.  Click here.