Macon Reporter

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) fumes that the "science" and "data" of COVID-19 have little to do with why businesses across the state continue to be hamstrung by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s ironclad policies.

“Just about every part of the state should be at the next phase of the governor’s reopening plan by now because they’ve met all the requirements he initially laid out for that,” Halbrook told the Macon Reporter. “Many areas are in even a better place. All along he’s talked about science being the guiding light. Not it all seems to be just about politics and that’s really disappointing.”

Halbrook isn’t alone in his assessment, as several GOP lawmakers recently signed off on a letter they sent to the governor imploring him to hit the pedal on the state’s reopening plan. With the state now in Phase 3 of the governor’s five-phase Restore Illinois plan, the letter further urges him to adopt a 14-day timeline between phases rather than the 28-day timeline in place.

Presently, the earliest the state could see Phase 4, which would allow indoor dining at restaurants and groups of up to 50 to convene, is June 26.

“I’m not sure what the governor thinks he stands to gain from this,” Halbrook added. “Sometimes it seems like he’s just out to destroy downstate Illinois.”

Halbrook said he thinks the impact is being felt across all parts of the state.

“I really think people are pretty much disgusted with all things in Illinois at this point,” he said.

Halbrook added all the dysfunction hasn’t done anything to dampen the growing enthusiasm for the separation idea he’s been pushing for Downstate Illinois for a while now.

“We’re pushing harder to try to get the counties organized in a much faster rate for such a time,” he said.