Some Illinois lawmakers are demanding Governor JB Pritzker and others take immediate action to fix problems affecting the state’s unemployment system. Representative Mike Marron of Fithian is among those calling for action….
{‘’We can talk about what could have and should have happened, but we’re here today to demand remedies from the Governor and the administration so that this critical assistance will be available for the people in our state to help them pay bills and put food on the table,’’ said Marron. ‘’There are thousands of people in my district, and hundreds of thousands of people across the state that are critically in need of this assistance to help get them through.’’}
Marron held a news conference with Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs to discuss the problem. ‘’At a time when Illinoisans in distress need state government the most, we have simply failed,’’ said Durkin. ‘’These are families who were living paycheck to paycheck and now have no way to put food on the table for their children. We must do better by fixing this issue immediately,’’ added Representative Durkin.
Rep. Marron says he has been getting calls from some people who are desperate….
{‘’One young lady called our office almost in tears. She was desperately trying to figure out how she was going to come up with enough money to buy her young daughter’s asthma medication. So you see, this is not only a financial issue for a lot of people but it’s a health and wellness issue as well. Some constituents have told me that they have tried every day for the last two weeks to get a hold of a live person at IDES and have had no success,’’ said Marron.}
During the on-line news conference, Rep. Marron responded to concerns from downstate residents who feel there is no one looking out for their concerns….
{‘’I think one thing the Governor can do – it’s largely optics – but I think he could think about holding a press conference from somewhere other than the city of Chicago. I mean, I understand that Chicago’s a very critically important part of the state. I love the city, but the capitol is Springfield. And I think people in my District somewhat find it offensive that everyday his press conferences are from the Thompson Center instead of his offices in Springfield.’’}
Marron noted the federal government has stepped up to help those who have been cut off from vital paychecks after losing their jobs. But he says the failure of IDES means residents who can’t apply are not able to receive state or federal benefits. ‘’The Governor needs to get IDES working efficiently, especially for our self-employed workers who have no idea when they will be able to apply for benefits,’’ added Marron.
