Metro East Sun

After the Madison County Board of Directors voted May 13 to reopen the county and get residents back to work, candidates for office are speaking out, including Amy Elik, a Republican running to represent the 111th District.

She applauded the Madison County board’s bipartisan leadership in their vote to get county residents back to work. She expressed appreciation for county officials who raised their voices when they were disappointed in Gov. J.B. Pritzker plan, which delays reopening with what they believe are unreasonable timelines to restart the downstate regions

"Gov. Pritzker's plan for reopening Illinois doesn’t work," Elik said. "With St. Louis and Madison County recently announcing they will open up May 18, it makes this an even more urgent matter. 

“Our stay-at-home order in Madison County will further damage local small businesses, as residents will flood across the river to do business. This is why we need a truly regionalized approach led by our local public health and elected officials, and not the so-called regional approach that the Pritzker administration haphazardly put together without consulting with any legislators or local officials. I trust the citizens of Madison County to continue the safety precautions in place so that everyone stays healthy and we do not take any steps back.”

The 111th District in western Illinois includes East Alton, Bethalto and Wood River.

In her statement, Elik noted that state Rep. Monica Bristow, a Democrat, has “done little to convince the governor that his one-size-fits-all approach is disastrous for Madison County.”

She also encouraged the public health system to continue its focus on the most vulnerable populations most affected by this pandemic: the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions. Unlike Pritzker's phased plan, Elik believes Madison County’s phased plan is reasonable and acknowledges the importance of getting people back to work, as well as to church and to recreational activities that support mental health.