Metro East Sun

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) is blaming Gov. J.B. Pritzker for the high price of back-to-school supplies.

"J.B. Pritzker talks about helping middle- and lower-income folks, but all of his policies have hit these hardworking families the hardest,” Bailey said. "Prices are out of control and Metro East families are seeing this first-hand when they go to the store to buy new school supplies for their kids. Prices are up 40 percent this year"

Bailey said the increased cost of school supplies is hurting families.

"Going back-to-school shopping used to be fun," he said. "Kids love getting new shoes, new clothes, and new lunch boxes. It kind of adds to the excitement of a new school year, but now it is a stressful experience as parents struggle to afford to buy their kids the things they need for a new school year."

He said families need "substantial tax relief." 

"Many families are having to borrow money just to afford back-to-school costs," Bailey said. "We need to stop ignoring the challenges facing working families and get serious about providing permanent relief. The paltry sales tax holiday Pritzker is touting is not enough to help working families. We need real, substantial tax relief for Illinois families. Let’s go to Springfield and consider meaningful, permanent reforms to help struggling families."

According to the National Retail Federation, school supply prices will have risen by 40% by the end of 2022. Ester di Filippo, a Chicago-based mother of two school girls, told Fox & Friends First that she believes "this year will be a struggle and a different situation" as she pointed out that her daughter's TI-84 calculator cost $150, the New York Post reported.

Inflation contributed to a 0.9% annual fall in the U.S Gross Domestic Product between April and June this year. For the third consecutive month, the University of Illinois' Flash Index had another drop from 105.7 in May to 105 this month. Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch told The Center Square how he is also worried about businesses.

“Small businesses that are discretionary spending, whether it be restaurants or even movie theaters or what have you – I would be most concerned about those folks who would be exposed to a consumer who thinks inflation is here to stay,” Todd said.

Bailey said the state needs more than what he describes as Pritzker's "far-left talking points."

“Being woke is not an economic plan but unfortunately it is all JB Pritzker has to offer," Bailey said. He said  that as governor, he would work better than his  opponent. He said that he will roll up his sleeves "to ensure state government agencies are more responsive to prospective businesses wanting to locate here and I will reduce business regulations and lower taxes to bring new jobs and new opportunities to Illinois." 

Bailey added that "There is little Illinois can do to prevent a recession but there is a lot our state can do to minimize the effects of a recession on our state. Having a robust economy would help minimize the impact of a recession on our state’s economy but to get to that point, we need more than the far-left talking points coming from J.B. Pritzker."