Chamber Members:
Hopefully, everyone was able to enjoy a long Labor Day weekend. This by no means should be a quiet week on the COVID front, both nationally and locally. First, expect a vote this week in the Senate on the “skinny” bill mentioned last week. Second, today marks the end of the Region 7 mitigation efforts set in place by the Governor. More on this situation below. Last, the County program for distributing CARES Act money has a few weeks to go. They’ve received a pretty good response so far, but the room for many more grants exists so don’t delay getting your application in.
Senate Vote on Relief
Lawmakers are bracing for a tumultuous post-Labor Day stretch as they start returning to Washington today and political gridlock complicates nearly every effort, with the November elections standing only 56 days away.
The Senate is set to reconvene today, while the House is expected to return in full next week. However, their return is unlikely to change much as a deal on a coronavirus relief package remains well out of reach and lawmakers have retreated into their political bunkers to ride out the remaining eight weeks until Election Day.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that he will force a vote on a GOP coronavirus relief package after weeks of closed-door talks between Republican senators and the White House.
McConnell said in a statement: “Today, the Senate Republican majority is introducing a new targeted proposal, focused on some of the very most urgent healthcare, education, and economic issues. … I will be moving immediately today to set up a floor vote as soon as this week.”
What to expect in the bill: The Republican bill is expected to include a federal unemployment benefit, another round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding, and more money for coronavirus testing and schools, as well as liability protections from lawsuits related to the virus.
Response from Governor Office on Region 7 Mitigation Concerns
We have received a response to our letter from the Governor’s office that we wanted to share with you (it is attached). We were included with about five chambers from down by St. Louis. I’m not sure how well this answers our concerns.
On a side note, we’ve been communicating back and forth with the Governor’s office and have included IDPH in a follow-up concern. It was discovered that the numbers on the Will County site do not match up with what has been presented as far as the 8% positivity rate. The county site shows 7 day rolling averages never going over 7%.
After going back and forth, what we have received basically shows the state is using two sets of data. Total cases are being used for the state cases per 100K which you see on the IDPH site. Will County for 8/23-29 was at 99 per 100K which isn’t great, but at least the data works out. However, if you use the same data you find a positive case rate lower than 7%. This was extremely troubling.
Finally, IDPH’s answer came out that they are using tests rather than cases to determine the positive rates. So if you have tested positive you are a case and have one test, but if you feel better and go back to get a negative test to say go back to work, that counts then as another test. We’ve heard of some people trying to “test out” with two negatives to be allowed to do whatever.
So, someone could in theory rack up 3,4,5 tests and all would be counted. Going back to the 8/23-29 data, that accounts for an extra 245-250 tests being added on. In other words, they are effectively saying 33% of what is believed to be a person with covid is actually the same person who has taken multiple tests. This is ridiculous and makes no sense. Add in the fact that if someone tests at say U of I, but lists their home address here back in Will County then it counts here rather than in Champaign where they physically are.
Additionally, we’re working too on finding out what is going to happen here on Wednesday (TOMORROW) when the 14 day period expires and we have not dropped down below 6.5%. Hopefully, we’ll have nothing but good news to share.
Vaccine News
Nine pharmaceutical companies on Tuesday issued a rare joint pledge seeking to reassure the public about the safety and efficacy of their potential vaccines for coronavirus. The companies included in the joint pledge include Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna, who are all working on coronavirus vaccines
The joint pledge states that the companies will not seek Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for their vaccines until a rigorous phase 3 clinical trial shows that it is safe and that it works. The companies pledged they would “only submit for approval or emergency use authorization after demonstrating safety and efficacy through a Phase 3 clinical study that is designed and conducted to meet requirements of expert regulatory authorities such as FDA.”
Pandemic Budgets
State and local governments across the U.S. are facing a severe budget crisis because of the coronavirus pandemic. To compensate, they’re cutting back on health care, education, unemployment benefits and more, at a time when those programs are in high demand. Economists warn that could prolong the recession. Local leaders on the other hand are hoping for aid from the next relief bill in Congress.
Negotiators seeking to strike a deal on a stalled coronavirus relief bill risk additional economic bruising unless they come to agreement on providing fiscal aid to state and local governments, which remains the largest stumbling block in talks between Democrats and the White House.
Republicans insist that $150 billion in additional aid will be enough to help state and local governments fill in their budgetary shortfall, and have railed against what they call a “blue state bailout” for governments they say were already fiscally irresponsible before the pandemic.
Democrats, meanwhile, are pushing for $900 billion in aid — a figure Republicans call outlandish — saying that without it the country faces a longer and weaker comeback. Some economists say scant federal aid to state and local governments in 2009 hampered the last recovery.
How the government ultimately responds to the partisan impasse—or fails to respond—will be critical for the economy and could have significant implications for November’s election.
Here’s Something to Think About
Sales of used cars have taken off during the pandemic, as many people try to avoid public transit. This is driving the price up as in July, the average value of used cars jumped more than 16 percent.
Finally, please join the Joliet Chamber Government Affairs Committee and Leslie Munger, former Illinois Comptroller, for an interactive virtual conference this Thursday at 11 AM to discuss the Progressive Income Tax (a.k.a. “The Fair Tax”) including:
- Discussion on removing the flat tax.
- What will this proposal mean for most taxpayers?
- Can retirement income now be taxed?
- Will the Progressive Income Tax decrease the budget shortfalls, bill backlogs and unfunded pension liabilities?
You can register here to participate: http://jolietchamber.chambermaster.com/events/details/2020-webinar-september-10-progressive-income-tax-discussion-5951
Stay well,
Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry Staff and Board of Directors
Mike Paone
Vice President – Government Affairs
Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry
mpaone@jolietchamber.com
815.727.5371 main
815.727.5373 direct