Macon Reporter

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) is among a group of Republican lawmakers calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to do what they feel is needed to “kick start” the economy in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

“These are all initiatives that are important to get most of Illinois back on the road to recovery,” Halbrook told the Macon Reporter. “These are common sense ideas that will make an economic difference to small business owners and employees in the fight to get back on track.”

Chief among the recommendations the group of Halbrook and fellow state Reps. Blaine Wilhour, Chris Miller, Darren Bailey, Dan Caulkins, Allen Skillicorn and John Cabello outlined in a letter recently sent to Pritzker is a call for a freeze in unemployment insurance rates for up to a year and a freeze in the state's minimum wage for the next 18 months.

In Illinois, the minimum wage is slated to hit $10 an hour this summer before increasing by a dollar every year until it hits $15 an hour in 2025.

“People see there is value in having this discussion at this point and time,” Halbrook said.  “All the emphasis is on what’s the plan going forward to restore our economy to pre-coronoavirus levels.”

Halbrook argues the proposed changes are the only way to give many small business owners the avenue and time they need to survive.

“We hope to continue this discussion and that the governor will pick up on the idea,” he said. “He has the option of doing some of this by executive order and everything needs to be a priority of ours once we get back in the Legislature.”