STATION EDITORIAL

Posted May 17, 2020

This is a station editorial, I'm Randal J. Miller, station president.

You may remember in my last editorial I wrote May 10th, I proposed that Governor Pritzker allow counties, cities or other local units of government, to follow his 5-phase re-opening plan NOW rather than waiting for the Executive Order to expire May 30th.    

Since that time, numerous downstate counties and cities have passed resolutions allowing those in their juristiction to open, or have gotten assurances their state's attorney won't prosecute those going against the Governor's Executive Order.  And many downstate businesses, have gone ahead and re-opened.

While all this has been going on, the Governor, when asked what he will do with these entities, threatened to withhold any federal or state funds going to local governments that defy his Order, and any business licensed by the state defying his Order, will have their license revoked.

As I have stated several times, downstate counties flattened the curve weeks ago, and the further south you go in the state, the more they've flattened the curve.

Not allowing our small town way of life to resume in the communities we serve, threatens the economic viability of continuing that way of life.  Many of our local small businesses have closed, and will never re-open.  Others are literally on life support.

The Governor had an opportunity to get ahead of this and show some leadership.  He didn't, and as a result, many local governments and businesses downstate are doing it on their own, despite the Governor's threats.

This does not have a happy ending for anyone.  Keeping things closed doesn't work. Had the Governor told downstate local governments to follow the 5-phase protocol NOW, would have been the right thing to do.  He didn't.  So, now you have countless counties, cities and towns re-opening on their own with their own plans, despite his threats.  This isn't leadership.

To those not able to feed their families, and local businesses struggling to exist, this isn't about phases.  This is about survival RIGHT NOW.

That our opinion...we welcome yours.  Our e-mail address is editorial@randyradio.com.