Chicago City Wire

People Who Play By The Rules (PBR) PAC is calling out Gov. J.B. Pritzker over the safety issues presented in Chicago and other areas of the state. 

PBR PAC notes it has received an additional $5 million from multibillionaire businessman Richard Uihlein in support of the campaign to enlighten Nov. 8 voters in Illinois about their choice for governor.

“Chicagoland is less safe as a result of his alliance with Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx,” PBR PAC spokesman Mike Koolidge said in a press release. “His Bidenesque policies have made energy both less reliable and more expensive. Major employers and working families alike have left the state – and more will – if Pritzker is allowed to supersize the tax increases he's proposed and imposed. Yet, he is too busy eyeing the White House to concern himself with the Illinois family worried about keeping their house. Illinois can't be both a political stepping-stone for J.B. Pritzker and a destination economy. We choose on Nov. 8.”

State Sen. Steve McClure (R-Springfield) noted recently that Illinois’ high rate of crime is causing businesses to leave the state. 

"It's the overall bad business climate," McClure said after Citadel Securities announced its move to Miami, Florida, Metro East Sun reported. "We need to work on reforming workman's comp reform and lower property taxes. On top of that, crime is out of control across the state and many of these businesses don’t feel safe being here right now." 

Ken Griffin, the billionaire CEO of Citadel Securities, announced his firm’s move from Chicago prior to the June 28 primary. Griffin bankrolled failed gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin’s campaign with an estimated $50 million, Chicago City Wire reported.

Many residents know that the state's attorney's office's poor record of locking up criminals is the root of Chicago's crime issues. Since Foxx decided to only prosecute shoplifting incidents that cost more than $1,000 in 2016, Chicago companies have experienced an increase in theft, Chicago City Wire previously reported. As a result of that choice, shoplifting has escalated into a significant issue that has led to the permanent closure of some enterprises. Business owners in the area are concerned that allowing crime to get out of hand and not holding offenders accountable may inspire more serious crimes.

Gun violence has been a problem in the Chicagoland area. There were 68 shootings over the July 4 weekend, eight of which resulted in fatalities in the Chicago region, according to CNN. Such weekend gun violence appears to be a chronic problem in Chicago.