Elliot Richardson
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Engaging politicians during election seasonMay 01, 2022 1:00 am - The General Assembly concluded its regular session in dramatic fashion as legislators pulled an all-nighter to pass a budget and other legislation. Democrats praised an...
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Small businesses and formerly incarcerated citizensApr 03, 2022 1:00 am - Illinois businesses are struggling to hire qualified employees. This is significantly impacting their operations and making it more difficult for many small companies to...
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End of mask mandate brings optimism and challenges to small businessesMar 06, 2022 12:00 am - The Illinois mask mandate has ended. No suburban businesses are required to check their customers vaccination status any longer. Many small business owners are elated an...
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Springfield's 2022 legislative session and small businessesFeb 06, 2022 12:00 am - The Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to conclude its 2022 regular session in early April. This creates a sense of urgency to promptly move forward legislation focu...
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Will politicians answer the call of the small business community?Jan 09, 2022 12:00 am - The COVID-19 pandemic battered small businesses like a tidal wave. The initial shutdowns nearly two years ago were both jarring and devastating. The fallout from subsequ...
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Politicians must focus on reducing property taxes in 2022Dec 16, 2021 12:00 am - The holiday season is upon us and while the COVID-19 pandemic stubbornly persists, we must look with hope and optimism toward 2022. Illinois has been provided tremendou...
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Policymakers should adopt an economic strategy focused on local businesses and communitiesNov 08, 2021 1:00 am - Politicians often focus on luring large companies into their communities by providing huge tax breaks and other incentives. Indeed, Illinois policymakers have spent imme...
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Crucial time for politicians to grow the workforce and support small businessesOct 12, 2021 1:00 am - As the pandemic seemed to be waning early this summer, my colleagues and I gathered for an after-hour event at a Chicago restaurant. We had been there before and were t...
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Policymakers can grow Illinois workforce and tax base by passing occupational licensing reformsSep 08, 2021 1:00 am - Occupational licenses should protect the health, safety and welfare of the public. Unfortunately, some occupational licenses are unnecessary and burdensome. They create ...
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The Delta variant and the small business communityAug 16, 2021 1:00 am - The small business community was increasingly optimistic this summer. The pandemic was waning, restrictions disappeared and customers were coming back in droves. Vaccin...