Restore Illinois Plan 'Implementation Is Bad:' Mayor Barnett

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Downers Grove Mayor Robert Barnett took to his personal Facebook page Friday to share some comments about Gov. J.B. Pritzker's 5-phase plan to Restore Illinois. "The implementation is bad, real bad," Barnett said of the plan, adding, "This plan has the real possibility of being a multi-year plan, fatal to many of our local businesses and a disaster to families across our community."

In the public post, Barnett went on to suggest that the timeline of the plan will likely diminish "municipally provided public services we all depend on every day." He added that he feels that under the current Restore Illinois plan "families and businesses will fail and overall physical and mental healthcare in our community will worsen."

Reopening Illinois: 6 Things To Know

Under the Restore Illinois plan, phase three will take place once a region's coronavirus infection rate is stable or declining. At that point, municipalities can reopen some salons, barbershops and retail stores, as long as social distancing is maintained and people continue to wear face masks in public. Essential gatherings will be allowed, but only with up to 10 people at a time.

A municipality can enter phase four if its coronavirus infection rates continue to decline. At that point, gatherings can include up to 50 people. In this phase, restaurants, movie theaters, salons, spas, barbershops and bars can reopen with limits to their capacity and following safety guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

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Of these phases, Barnett said, "There is simply no way to keep doing what we’re doing with the revenue declines that could be expected from a continuation of phase 3 or phase 4 for extended periods."

He went on, "[I]f we have to plan for 2021 based on the economic activities experienced and allowed under the Governor’s plan, without certainty about when phase 5 comes and how active the economy in phase 5 will be, you should expect to see dramatic differences in public safety and service capabilities and infrastructure quality."

The timeline to get to phase five, a full reopening of Illinois, could take a year to 18 months, according to reports. Barnett wrote, "I said several weeks ago that to get back to normal life, COVID-19 was going to have to be part of our life. That remains true and the 'Restore Illinois' plan ensures we will not get back to normal life anytime soon."

In spite of his comments about the Restore Illinois plan's implementation, Barnett encouraged residents to keep following health care guidance while supporting local businesses. He also suggested contacting Gov. Pritzker and state legislators to express any disagreement with the plan.

"And call and write the Governor and your State Legislators – Springfield, could change our course – if they wanted to," Barnett wrote.

You can read Barnett's full Facebook post below:

Do you agree with Mayor Barnett about the Restore Illinois plan? Let us know in the comments.

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