SE Illinois News

State Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia) is touting a list of proposals outlined by him and other Republican lawmakers in an effort to prop up the state economy through the coronavirus pandemic as sensible solutions.

“These are tangible relief efforts for people that might not be seeing them any other way,” Bailey told the SE Illinois News. “We see this as an opportunity to help people get over the hump and live to fight another a day.”

In a letter sent to Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Bailey joins fellow GOP lawmakers Dan Caulkins (Decatur), Brad Halbrook (Shelbyville), Blaine Wilhour (Beecher City), Chris Miller (Oakland) and John Cabello (Machesney Park) in imploring the governor to enact a freeze on the state’s unemployment insurance rate and the state minimum wage in hopes of helping more small business owners survive the lingering crisis.

“In order for people to have jobs, we’ve got to have people able to provide those jobs,” Bailey said. “The coronavirus crisis is affecting business everywhere and we’ve got to be willing to do whatever is needed to help our businesses survive. With all these hardships on businesses, this would be an opportunity to help some of them get over the hump.”

With so many people now being forced to work from home, Bailey said another proposal asks for a moratorium on all home property taxes.

“We feel these are real solutions,” he said. “Many of us feel like when the governor issued a temporary freeze on most all businesses, he should have had a plan instead of just telling everyone to close your business. I feel like real leadership would have had some other things in place before taking such a drastic step.”