Will County Gazette

Will County Board Member Mike Fricilone believes Gov. J.B. Pritzker has lost his way when it comes to the battle against COVID-19.

“He’s got this idea of how he wants to do things and nothing else seems to matter,” Fricilone told the Will County Gazette. “The courts have already said he doesn’t have the power to continue to do all these things. Besides that, if there are no jobs left for people what good can any of it do?”

With the governor now warning that the state could be headed for even more restrictions as coronavirus infection rates across the state tick up, Fricilone (R-Homer Glen), now running against Democrat Marie Newman in the 3rd Congressional District, is taking an even harder stance against what he sees as Pritzker's overreach.

“You can’t just shut down the whole state again,” he added. “The governor has established these zones and I think we need to be looking at things in a much more regionalized way. For the sake of everyone, that’s the kind of approach we have to take.”

Indeed, Fricilone wonders how much more the cash-strapped state can take, especially the small business sector.

“Wherever you look, businesses are already suffering, with many at their tipping point,” he said. “The economic destruction caused by all this is real and it’s becoming more lasting by the day. We’re already hearing about countless small businesses being forced into bankruptcy.”

While Pritzker and his top health officials have been crisscrossing the state urging residents to adhere to such guidelines as wearing face masks, social distancing and hand washing, Fricilone argues that should be only the start of a more collaborative effort.

“The governor has to learn it’s better to work with the people instead of just trying to impose your own will all the time,” he said.