SE Illinois News

As he prepares to take over as the face of the 115th District, newly elected Republican state Rep. Paul Jacobs is keeping a positive attitude in the face of the state’s persistent struggle.

“I have a feeling we could be on the verge of a renaissance led by millennial entrepreneurs,” Jacobs told the SE Illinois News. “I think they’ll look at the value of property here and see how they can get it at a great price. With that, maybe some of the young people that have already left will come back and get in on things.”

Jacobs knows the change couldn’t be coming at a more critical time for the cash-strapped state, which since the start of the year has lost more than one-third of its small businesses as the coronavirus has lingered and the effects of all of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s shutdown restrictions continue to be felt.

Overall, data compiled by Harvard and Brown universities and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation also shows as of Nov. 16, 2020 the number of small businesses open dipped by some 35.4 percent compared to January of this year with the industry also experiencing a revenue decline topping 39% since January.

“More and more, I think people are starting to understand the socialist ideas being put forth by Democrats are not going to get us where we need to be,” Jacobs added. “I’d feel much better if we didn’t have (House Speaker) Mike Madigan still in charge but I think there are even some Democrats that are becoming more fiscally responsible and understanding that’s what the state needs. I think this next two years will be one of the most important periods we’ve seen from the General Assembly in state history.”