South West Illinois News

State Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Carbondale) spent part of his holiday week with Labor Union 773 members handing out Thanksgiving meals.

“Laborers Union 773 wasn’t satisfied with 150 Thanksgiving meals in Cairo on Thursday, they had to do another 400 on Saturday at the Marion Pavilion,” Jacobs posted on Facebook. “That’s caring for your neighbors. Thanks 773.”

Jacobs also recently came out in support of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to make funding available to increase wages for eligible in-home care providers.

A total of $54 million from the state’s fiscal year 2021 and 2022 budgets have been earmarked for wage hikes for in-home care providers whose services became even more critical during the pandemic.

"I think it is important to make sure our elderly are well cared for,” Jacobs told the Carbondale Reporter. “Increasing pay for in-home care providers is necessary to ensure that we are to retain good people in these important jobs. So, I have no issue with the pay increases. What I have an issue with is the unwillingness of the current administration to make better budgeting decision across the board.”

Jacobs argues state leaders need to exhibit much more restraint when it comes to spending and putting the state’s finances back in order.

"Increasing pay increases not only current costs, but future costs," he said. "There is nothing wrong with the state increasing the pay for in-home workers. The state has plenty of money now because of the infusion of federal dollars into the state’s coffers. But once the federal money dries up – we will be in serious trouble. We would be well-served to exercise some fiscal discipline now while we have federal money coming instead of waiting to address these problems when the safety net of federal money is gone."

The Southern Illinois News estimates the economic shutdowns and hardships brought on by the pandemic have put a $5 billion strain on the social safety net system.

Jacobs argues the governor overstepped his authority in imposing the restrictions that ultimately led to many businesses shuttering their doors for good.

"Businesses have struggled in the last year through no fault of their own,” he said. “Gov. Pritzker locked down our economy, forcing businesses to close their doors, leaving millions of Illinois residents out of work. The lockdown of our economy was not something anyone saw coming and the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund is being drained as a result."

Jacobs also argues that an amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act signed off on by Pritzker stands to do more harm than good.

The General Assembly recently approved legislation that paves the way for individuals who use the measure as a way of not being vaccinated to face repercussions, Chicago’s ABC7 reported.

“Sad day in Illinois,” Jacobs posted to Facebook. “As expected, the Governor has signed legislation to limit the Right of Conscience for workers in Illinois. I have no doubt the courts will have the final say on this, but for now our freedoms and liberties are threatened. We must stand up for the rights of working families and push back against the constant assault on our freedoms.”

The North Egypt News has also reported back in June the veteran legislator joined forces with other Republican lawmakers to blast Democrat-drawn district maps as totally partisan.