Chambana Sun

If he had the chance to stand face to face with him, Illinois state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) knows exactly what he would say to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“I would urge him to open back up our economy, at least on a regional basis, and give everybody a chance of saving their business and making a living for themselves,” Caulkins told the Chambana Sun. “Right now, I think he’s in danger of losing the respect of people because they’re not being told enough about what’s happening. All we know is all these restrictions, but people aren’t sure if they match what we’re being told is actually happening now.”

Caulkins said at the time Pritzker enacted the stay-at-home order that’s still in effect the models being used were projecting much more devastation than what’s now expected.

“It’s okay to base decisions on the best information available, but now it seems the governor is basing his decisions on old information,” Caulkins said. “Outside of Cook County and a few collar counties, he doesn’t seem to be getting advice that reflects what’s happening now.”

Caulkins also worries that Pritzker isn’t taking full advantage of all the resources he has at his disposal.

“I think the decisions he’s made in enacting all the restrictions should have been done with the input of the legislature since we are a co-equal branch of government,” he said. “We should have been in on the discussion. You’ve got some very thoughtful and experienced people in the legislature who I think could have offered some really sound advice about what could have been done going into this shutdown.”

Going forward, Caulkins said he thinks people have learned enough about the virus and how to keep safe from it to begin reopening the economy on some level.

“We’ve been through this for a month now and I trust people to do what needs to be done,” he said. “I trust small business owners to do what they’ve been told will help keep themselves and their customer safe.”