North Cook News

State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) fumes that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s assault on small business owners across the state shows little sign of slowing in the face of COVID-19.

“Since the governor issued his first disaster proclamation seven months ago, the people of Illinois have had virtually zero say and no recourse for action as he has violated the constitutional principle of the separation of powers,” Morrison said. “Disaster proclamations were never intended to provide unending power upon the governor, which is why I filed HB5776. There must be a vetting of the governor’s continued actions via the people’s representatives in the Illinois House and Senate.”

Among the areas hit by some of the governor’s latest reenacted restrictions is Region 10, which holds all but Chicago in Cook County. Limitations include a ban on indoor dining and bar service and capacity limits on social gatherings.  

Morrison worries that the governor’s unilateral decisions and handling of the situation may actually make the situation worse.

“The governor’s re-applied restrictions will absolutely cripple our local restaurant, bar, and hospitality industry,” he added. “This will lead to new waves of unemployed Illinoisans, business closures, and decreased revenues for local and state government. A business and commercial property that shuts down will require a shift in the tax burden to residents, who already carry one of the highest tax burdens in the country.”

With more now known about the virus, Morrison said he confident that lawmakers working together can come up with a plan that works best for all and on most fronts.

“Instead the governor continues to rule by executive fiat in a manner that unfairly impacts small businesses, individual residents and families who are just barely hanging on,” he said. “Our billionaire governor is insulated from the full consequences of his decisions as they overall negatively impact Illinois residents and businesses.”

Morrison, who won a sixth term in the 54nd District this month by knocking off Democrat Maggie Trevor with 55% of the vote, has long been a staunch critic of the governor’s handling of the pandemic, at one point arguing that many of his actions have been short-sighted and not in the best interest of many.

“Nobody does or should blame him for the [COVID-19] virus or the terrible ways it can, has and will continue to injure or kill, but his broad executive decisions have much farther-reaching effects than he perhaps realizes," Morrison told the North Cook News. “The governor needs to remember that he’s the governor for all the people of Illinois.”