Chicago City Wire

Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy says the state’s many problems run deep.

“We could easily discuss the Biden administration’s blatant attempts of avoiding Chicago with nothing more than a five-minute tarmac meeting with Mayor Lori Lightfoot to check a box that did nothing to address the crime overtaking the Windy City’s streets and the other litany of issues that plague the mayor’s office,” Tracy said in his weekly email briefing. “While Chicago’s troubles are important, Illinoisans across the state are facing dire consequences of poor policy implemented by the Biden and Pritzker administrations.”

At the head of the list, Republicans argue is the continuation of unemployment benefit extensions and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which they argue are severely hampering restaurants looking to hire as COVID-19 restrictions are being eased.

“The problem that we are facing now and has caused us to pivot again is staffing,” Rathskeller general manager John Clark told WGN. “We are just not getting applicants. At this point, we have zero applications on three to four different media that we’re trying to push out for applications.”

Clark is among those attributing the malaise to the unemployment extension, which he charges incentivizes people to continue staying home instead of going back to work.

“I’ve seen other restaurant owners’ post that they had 12 interviews and only two showed up, out of those 12,” he said. “I think obviously unemployment and unemployment benefits extension is going to help people stay home during this tough time. Unfortunately, it’s hard to compete with that when they are going to make less going to work.”

As it is, benefits that include an extra $300 a week are slated to continue through Sept. 4, with any individual who has received as little as $1 in unemployment benefits eligible for the extension.

“Inflation is a real concern, as is unemployment,” Tracy said. “Meanwhile, job creators in our communities are struggling to find folks wanting to go back to work.”