Chambana Sun

State Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) wonders when what he sees as Gov. J.B.Pritzker’s full-frontal assault on the state’s small business industry will finally come to an end.

“This is absolutely not a good decision,” Caulkins told the Chambana Sun of the governor’s pronouncement that he has no intention of delaying the increase to the state’s minimum wage. “It only compounds the level of stress that is already on small business owners after he unnecessarily shut them down for months to begin with. This state should have been in Stage 4 of his reopening plan at least 45 days ago based on his own criteria.”

As part of the governor’s plan, the state’s minimum wage increased to $10 an hour on July 1 and will to $11 an hour by the start of 2021.

“Everyone knows what we’ve been through over the last few months with the pandemic and the toll it’s taken on our economy,” Caulkins added. “We as Republicans asked for a delay to the increase during the special session we held and proposed legislation that would have authorized it. That would have given small business owners a chance to get back on their feet. These increases will be the final straw for many of them coming off of being closed for four months.”

The state recently moved to Phase 4 of the governor’s five-phase Restore Illinois plan that allows many businesses to open with fewer restrictions.

Caulkins said he can only hope it isn’t too little, too late.

“The fact that the governor has taken this long to allow the state to get to this point shows his continuing unwillingness to compensate for the differences between Chicago, Cook County, collar counties and the rest of Illinois," he said. "It boils down to a total disregard for a large portion of our state.”

As of July 1, Illinois reported 143,185 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, including 6,923 deaths. Chicago has reported 52,354 of those confirmed cases of COVID-19.