East Central Reporter

Illinois state Rep. Chris Miller (R-Oakland) wants to see Gov. J.B. Pritzker do more tailored governing in the age of the coronavirus as opposed to simply enacting what he sees as sweeping proclamations.

“In the beginning, maybe everyone thought this virus was going to mean even more mass destruction for everyone in the same way,” Miller told the East Central Reporter. “Now that we have different information we need different solutions.”

Miller recently joined his colleague Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) in calling on Pritzker to formulate a plan “to bring businesses online for regions of the state not as impacted by coronavirus."

Miller said small business owners need to feel that something is being done to get them back to providing for their families and run their operations.

“These dates might change, but it is very important to our local businesses to know that there is an end in sight,” he added. “People need to feel like they’ll have the chance to put their lives back together before it becomes too late.”

At this point, Miller said it makes little sense that the overriding majority of the coronavirus cases in Illinois have been in Chicago but the entire state is being forced to adhere to the same restrictions.

“Down here in the 110th District and the surrounding areas we have only had a handful of cases and no deaths,” he said. “The pandemic simply hasn’t risen to the level of what we’re experiencing in terms of restrictions.”

Miller said the biggest hospital in the area was just forced to lay off hundreds of workers because the hospital is no longer doing elective surgeries and the surge of coronavirus cases that was once projected never came.

“It’s the same with the three other hospitals in this area and why I say this one-size fits all style of governing isn’t working.”