Will County Gazette

Illinois House Republican Floor Leader Mark Batinick worries the state’s small business industry may never be the same.

“You have to ask yourself how much can they be forced or expected to take,” Batinick told the Will County Gazette. “We’ve given preference to big business throughout the pandemic lockdown and now we're forcing these increases on them when they’re at their most vulnerable. How Gov. Pritzker has handled this whole COVID-19 situation just really makes things tough for them.”

Batinick argues the latest example of that comes in the form of the governor refusing to delay the minimum wage increase despite most small business being in total disarray when it comes to their finances after being forced to shutter or limit operations for the last three months.   

As of July 1, the state’s minimum wage is $10 an hour with another $1 hourly increase set for Jan. 1, 2021. In addition, several other taxes are also set to rise at a time when nearly one in four Illinois residents is out of work and small businesses across the state are fighting for survival.

“I think we need to delay everything and make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep as many businesses open and people working as possible,” Batinick said. “That’s what leadership is and that’s what’s needed right now.”

Batinick said he’s always feared a minimum wage increase would make it harder for small businesses to survive, but current conditions make it far worse than he ever imagined.

“This pandemic has devastated a lot of businesses,” he said. “We’ve got to be doing whatever we can to help them survive.”