Metro East Sun

The state of Missouri is picking up the businesses that Illinois is not able to maintain due to taxes, the COVID-19 pandemic and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s restrictions, according to Mike Babcock, a former Republican state Senate and House candidate. 

“COVID has really taken a toll on us and, unfortunately, we don’t have a governor who supports businesses and allows them to thrive,” Babcock told the Metro East Sun.

About 5,100 Illinois-based business listings on a review-based website have either temporarily closed or will permanently shutter due to COVID-19 governmental shutdowns, according to a Yelp study.

Yelp’s quarterly report found that about 4,400 were listed as Chicago-based businesses, and Illinois Policy Institute data determined the state could potentially lose 94,200 service sector jobs permanently if a surge in coronavirus cases leads to renewed governmental closure orders.

In response to the report, Babcock took aim at Pritzker for severely restricting businesses in his district.

“Their incomes have gone down significantly,” said Babcock, who ran for a state Senate seat eight years ago and a House seat in 2018. “They're trying to make up for the three months that were left behind during the COVID shut down because of the governor. It's been difficult. I was just talking to a couple of business owners last week who said their businesses were highly restricted. It might only be a salon, but it's a business that generates income for the family and the other two people that actually work there. Now Gov. Pritzker is talking about shutting down salons again. I don’t know what he's thinking, but to take someone's livelihood away is just ridiculous.” 

The state of Illinois is among the top five states for highest number of business closures. About 2,800 have permanently shuttered and 2,300 temporarily, according to the Yelp survey.

“These restrictions are having a huge ripple effect in the state of Illinois. That's for sure,” Babcock said. “The state of Missouri is moving on. They are doing things differently. They are drawing out all the businesses and, quite frankly, I can't tell you how many people have said they wish they could move their business to Missouri.”

According to media reports, Missouri has implemented no statewide limitations on social gatherings and businesses, although 6 feet of social distancing is required. Retail businesses that take place indoors are limited to 25% capacity. Missouri Gov. Mike Parsons reportedly is leaving it up to local governments to impose stricter coronavirus rules, such as mask mandates.

As of Aug. 11, Missouri has reported 60,935 coronavirus cases statewide and 1,312 fatalities, according to the state’s COVID-19 dashboard. 

That’s compared to a reported 196,948 cases and 7,657 fatalities overall in Illinois, according to the Illinois Department of Health.

“COVID is definitely a bad thing for those people that get it and for those who die from it, but there's also another bad thing, which is losing your business and your income to the point that you can't support your family or make your house payment," Babcock said. "These are effects that are equally detrimental as well as the mental issues that take place because you’ve stayed inside the house so and you're fearful. That becomes a really bad pattern for you in the future.”