SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To boost the economic recovery of small businesses in his district, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, is highlighting the announcement of the Back to Business Grants that will help rebuild small businesses from the devastating impact of the pandemic. 

“The severe damage to small business in the past year cannot be understated,” said Yingling. “We must ensure that struggling small businesses have a chance to bounce back from the loss of income, resources, operating costs, and much more. The Back to Businesses grants are essential to bring our economy back on track. ”

Yingling has made it a priority to protect and revitalize small businesses. He has helped to pass numerous measures that create avenues of support for small businesses, including expanding tax credits and voting to enact financial relief programs.

The Back to Business Grants are a follow-up to the last year’s Business Interruption Grants and will provide small businesses across the state with access to crucial resources they need to recuperate. For more information or to apply, please visit the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s website at illinois.gov/dceo/SmallBizAssistance/Pages/B2B.aspx 

“As someone who grew up working for my parent’s local restaurant, it is important to provide relief to small business owners who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Yingling. “We cannot turn our back on them during this difficult time, and I will continue to work in Springfield to ensure that they have the resources they need to get through this pandemic and back on their feet.”

AURORA, Ill. – State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, is inviting small business owners and residents to a town hall event on the Fair Tax plan, co-hosted with state Rep. Karina Villa (D-Batavia), on Tuesday, Oct. 22nd at 7 p.m. at Two Brothers Roundhouse, located at 205 N. Broadway in Aurora.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and it is my priority as a state representative to provide information on the Fair Tax and its potential implications for business owners,” said Hernandez. “I strongly encourage business owners to attend to learn about this new legislation and ask questions.”

Hernandez and Villa will be joined by Ralph Matire, the Director of Tax and Budget Accountability, a bipartisan think tank working to promote economic justice in communities. They will update attendees on the Fair Tax and the efforts to provide relief for local businesses, as well as answering questions from guests. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information on this event, or to RSVP, please contact Hernandez’s constituent services office at 630-270-1848 or email RepBarbaraHernandez@gmail.com.

Who:     State Rep. Barbara Hernandez, State Rep. Karina Villa, and the Center for  Tax    

and Budget Accountability

What:    Small Business Fair Tax Town Hall

When:  Tuesday, Oct. 22nd from 7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Where: Two Brothers Roundhouse, located at 205 N. Broadway in Aurora

OTTAWA, Ill. – Working to continue his support of Illinois agriculture, state Rep. Lance Yednock, D-Ottawa, visited the Northern Partners Cooperative to discuss various issues facing Illinois’ agriculture industry and take note of the operations of the business.

“It can be easy to take it for granted, but agriculture is absolutely vital to growing a stronger Illinois,” said Yednock. “We must continue to work to support agriculture industries and businesses, which provide countless crop resources that make up the backbone of this state’s culture and economy.”

Yednock recently visited a local agriculture plant to listen to the issues facing the Northern Partners Cooperative while also discussing legislative proposals that would help the agriculture industry. Yednock has been a strong supporter of Illinois agriculture. Included in this year’s bipartisan budget plan that Yednock supported was the Blue Collar Jobs Act, which is aimed at providing reforms for people seeking employment in agriculture, manufacturing and more.

PEORIA, Ill. – In recognition of National Women’s Small Business Month this October, state Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth is highlighting reforms to reduce taxes on small businesses and attract new businesses to Illinois.

“I am committed to building a stronger Illinois by building a stronger middle class and that means supporting the small businesses that are drivers of our economy,” Gordon-Booth said. “During National Women’s Small Business Month, it is important to highlight the tax reforms and opportunities available to small businesses in Illinois.”

Women own 42% of all businesses according to Business.com, compared to less than 5% in 1972. During the last five years, the number of small businesses owned by all women grew 21% and that rate was nearly double for women of color.

As Deputy Majority Leader in the Illinois House, Gordon-Booth helped spearhead negotiations with Republicans for a bipartisan, balanced budget that instituted a number of reforms to reduce taxes for small businesses and make it easier for the state to attract new businesses. Gordon-Booth backed:

• Senate Bill 689 to eliminate the burdensome corporate franchise tax, helping 300,000 small businesses, and increase tax credits for small businesses that employ workers in areas of high unemployment or underemployment
• Senate Bill 690 to allow a tax credit for workers on small business data center projects and to allow sales tax credits for data center businesses that invest in Illinois
• Senate Bill 1591 to invest in small businesses that invest in local jobs by creating tax credits for small businesses to train and employ apprentices

“Small businesses are the heart of our economy in Illinois and women-owned small businesses are a growing and critical part of building a stronger middle class in our state,” Gordon-Booth said. “Reducing taxes on small businesses and making it easier for them to hire and train workers will assist the growth of all small businesses, but will be particularly helpful for small businesses owned by women and women of color that historically were excluded from accessing business development programs and resources.”

ROUND LAKE BEACH, Ill. – To provide beneficial services to his constituents, state Rep. Sam Yingling, D-Grayslake, will be hosting a Jobs Fair in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) on Oct. 26 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the University Center of Lake County, Room 142, located at 1200 University Center Dr. in Grayslake. Job seekers will be able to connect with employers, network with hiring managers, and receive information about resources for the unemployed and underemployed.

“Hard-working people deserve to have access to good-paying jobs that they can support their families with,” Yingling said. “My jobs fair is a fantastic opportunity for those who are looking for employment to see what’s available to them in the local market.”

For more information, please contact Yingling’s full-time constituent office at 847-231-6262 or email repsamyingling@gmail.com.

Who:               State Rep. Sam Yingling

                        IDES

What:             Job Fair

When:            Thursday, October 24, 2019

Where:           University Center of Lake County

                        Room 142

                        1200 University Center Dr.

                        Grayslake, IL

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Women in Illinois will no longer face biased interview questions that have historically locked them into a lifetime of lower pay as a result of a new pay equity law backed by state Rep. Dan Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, going into effect.

“While Donald Trump and his allies chip away at the progress we’ve made and refuse to acknowledge the priorities of women, we have worked to make Illinois a leader in championing women’s rights,” Didech said. “It is unacceptable that on average women still earn less than their male peers and this new law aims to fix that injustice.”

Didech was a vocal supporter and sponsor of House Bill 834, which aims to close the wage gap between men and women by prohibiting companies from asking a job seeker to disclose their salary history, or attempting to obtain it any other way. Given discrepancies in pay, when prospective employees are asked about their salary history it can indirectly lock them into that salary instead of a more competitive one. With the new Didech-backed law, Illinois joins states like Massachusetts, California, Delaware, and Oregon who have passed similar legislation.

“This is a necessary first step as we work to ensure equal pay for equal work is more than just a slogan,” Didech added. “I remain committed to pushing back against any radical attempt to chip away at our progress and advocating on behalf of policies that advance the priorities of Illinois women and families.”

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GURNEE, Ill. – Residents are invited to join state Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, for a seminar called How to Start a Small Business in Lake County. The seminar is free and open to the public and will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Warren-Newport Public Library located at 224 O’Plaine Road in Gurnee.

“I know from starting my own consulting business that launching a personal venture can be a daunting task; it can be difficult to know where to begin,” said Mason. “To address those challenges, I wanted to host a seminar that gives residents the resources and empowerment to take those bold first steps into entrepreneurship.”

How to Start a Small Business in Lake County will be led by Mitch Bienvenue of the Illinois Small Business Development and International Trade Center. Mason also maintains a business of the month program to recognize existing operations that go above and beyond by serving and giving back to the community.

“I’m proud to have sponsored several pieces of legislation that make Illinois a better place to start and grow a small business, and I am excited to be offering this seminar,” said Mason. “I look forward to meeting with residents at this event, and I’m grateful to the Illinois Small Business Development and International Trade Center for being such an enthusiastic partner on this event.”

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RED BUD, Ill. – State Rep. Nathan Reitz, D-Steeleville, is helping provide tax relief for job creators with his backing of a new law expanding a current tax credit to include manufacturing and production machinery and equipment.

“Hard-working business owners deserve relief from taxes and the constant government red tape placed on them and that remains one of my top priorities,” Reitz said. “We need to build a stronger Illinois, and we have to start by giving more support to our businesses and job creators. This tax relief will do that while also help lowering the cost of goods manufactured in Illinois.”

Reitz is backing Senate Bill 689, which expands the Manufacturer’s Purchase Credit, a tax credit to pay for production-related property and machinery that manufacturers need to run their businesses. This bill builds up numerous other tax credits and jobs programs to bring a thriving economy back to underserved areas of Illinois. The law passed with strong bipartisan support and is now law.

“When manufacturers can afford the tools they need to sell their goods at reasonable prices, the entire community benefits,” Reitz said. “This bill will help create sustainable jobs, make local goods more affordable and keep foreign corporations from hurting our businesses. Illinoisans deserve an economy that works for them, and I will continue to work to make sure they get it.”

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – College athletes would receive their fair share of the revenue schools make off of them under new legislation introduced by state Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Hillside.

“This measure is about equity and fairness to our college athletes, who have essentially been used to generate massive profits for their schools, without receiving a dollar in return,” Welch said. “My bill ends that discriminatory practice and allows these students to share in the profits they are creating.”

Welch is sponsoring House Bill 3904, the Student Athlete Endorsement Act, which would allow college student athletes attending any of Illinois’ four-year public or private universities to be compensated for the use of their name, image and likeness. The bill follows a national groundswell to allow college athletes to earn money this way, while their university and athletic organizations benefit from college athletes. California has just enacted legislation to fairly compensate student-athletes.  

Welch’s prevents athletic associations, like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), from imposing and executing long-standing rules that would ban colleges from competing in collegiate sports if universities allowed their athletes to earn money from the use of a student’s name, image and likeness.

“The rules that athletic associations like the NCAA are arbitrary and should not be the governing principles of college sports that both restricts athletes from just compensation but threatens universities from participating in sports,” said Welch. “Illinois should join California, and the other states considering similar laws, to demand change and to treat its college athletes with the respect and justice they deserve.”

GURNEE, Ill. – State Rep. Joyce Mason, D-Gurnee, stopped by Zion Cyclery to hear from business owners Mary and Chris Daisy in Zion.

“Like many of the business owners I’ve met with recently, the Daisys offered great feedback on how new laws and changes in our region’s economy have impacted their day-to-day operations,” said Mason. “I’m grateful to Mary and Chris for sharing about the needs of their business with me, and I look forward to using what I’ve learned from them to support comprehensive legislation that truly addresses the needs of small businesses in our state.”

Zion Cyclery, located in the heart of Zion, has been owned and operated by the Daisy family for nearly 40 years. Zion Cyclery hosts year-round community bike rides that are free and open to the public. To further assist entrepreneurs seeking to set up shop in Lake County, Rep. Mason is hosting a free “How to Start a Business in Lake County” seminar with the Illinois Small Business Development and International Trade Center on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at the Warren Newport Public Library located at 224 O’Plaine Rd. in Gurnee.