Ness Sworn In, Reaffirms Pledge to Lift Up Small Businesses and Families, Restore Public Trust with Ethics Reform

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Following the Inauguration of the 102nd General Assembly, state Rep. Suzanne Ness, D-Crystal Lake, highlighted her plans to boost the economy, address skyrocketing property taxes and work for good government reforms.

“As a small business owner, I understand firsthand the impact the COVID-19 health crisis has had on the economy. Businesses across our state are in dire need of assistance. To hear the needs of business owners and community leaders directly, I plan to host regular economic development roundtables with a focus on connecting business owners to resources they need, including grants and low interest loans to help pay bills. There will be difficult choices to be made to get our state back on the right track, and it is critical that the state invest in our business owners, especially during these difficult times.

“I prioritize speaking with residents directly about the issues that concern them by knocking on doors in local neighborhoods, and working with my colleagues in the General Assembly to build on what’s already been done, and further improve relationships so we can move forward in a collaborative way. Putting Illinois on a path to success will require diverse ideas and solutions. It requires us to work together with common goals and shared values. I will work to foster that shared spirit.

“I know that leaders must work in good faith to build a government that Illinoisans can put their faith in. Nobody should be able to get rich by being an elected official. Actions speak louder than words, so I rejected the gold-plated perks offered to politicians by turning down a taxpayer funded pension. Our state is in serious need of ethics reform, and one of my top priorities is to restore public trust in government by working toward commonsense good government reforms.

“With our unfortunate milestone of reaching one million COVID-19 cases, it is important that our state be a leader in providing relief to residents. Our small businesses need help, and residents need strong leadership in navigating our new normal. I will work with state leaders to enact an aggressive and efficient vaccine distribution plan because I believe we have the capability to make this a reality.

“This year will be filled with hard work, and I am ready to address the challenges that lie ahead to get our state on more secure financial footing, freeze property taxes for homeowners and pass commonsense ethics reform.”