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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
IN SUPPORT OF HB 3418, THE SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT
WHEREAS, In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic arrived in the United States, bringing illness and death, along with widespread economic disruption, resulting in closing of businesses and surging of unemployment to levels not seen since the Great Depression; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy, while economic damage was widespread, the severity varied substantially across locations, industries, and demographic categories. Locations with larger declines included metropolitan and coastal areas, affecting mostly Asian, Black and Hispanic business owners; and
WHEREAS, the World Economic Forum reported a loss of 38% of Small Businesses in the Chicago Metropolitan Area as of April of 2021, impacting the leisure and hospitality sector in higher numbers, and
WHEREAS, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are ongoing. While some businesses have largely recovered from the initial decline, others continue to lag, and some recovered only to experience subsequent declines; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S Census Bureau's Small Business Pulse Survey, which reports data collected as of April of 2022, 45% of small businesses expected recovery to take at least 6 more months and 15% expected never to fully recover, and
WHEREAS, a remarkably robust number of Small Businesses are in Cook County, helping drive the County's economy; and
WHEREAS, Cook County's businesses' operations and recovery continue to be negatively affected by the struggle to hire qualified employees; and
WHEREAS, the unemployment rate among formerly incarcerated individuals is seven times higher than for those without a criminal record, which undermines public safety and contributes to high recidivism rates; and
WHEREAS, individuals returning from incarceration who become stably employed are 62% less likely to reoffend; and
WHEREAS, sponsored by Chairman Justin Slaughter, IL Repres...
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