File #: 23-2600    Version: 1 Name: IN SUPPORT OF HB 3418, THE SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT
Type: Resolution Status: Approved
File created: 4/19/2023 In control: Board of Commissioners
On agenda: 4/27/2023 Final action: 4/27/2023
Title: 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 initi...
Sponsors: MONICA GORDON, SCOTT R. BRITTON, JOHN P. DALEY, BRIDGET DEGNEN, BRANDON JOHNSON, FRANK J. AGUILAR, DENNIS DEER, STANLEY MOORE, JOSINA MORITA, MAGGIE TREVOR
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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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