With a wide array of industries and business headquarters, Chicago has long served as the economic engine for the state of Illinois and the Midwest. But our local economy depends on the millions of visitors who travel across the globe to experience our outstanding museums, acclaimed restaurants and top-notch lodging.
Since March, the start of the pandemic, we have seen hundreds of convention cancellations, plummeting sales at restaurants and bars that are now staring down the uncertainty of the cold winter months and record low occupancy at our hotels. Just recently, major tourist destination Navy Pier shut its doors until at least next spring.
This damage to our tourism and hospitality industries, airlines, and small businesses, which provide hundreds of thousands of jobs to our residents and critical funds to our schools, cannot be allowed to continue. That is why Congress must take immediate action to keep our businesses and workers safe and secure as we continue to navigate the economic fallout.
When the CARES Act was enacted, we were hopeful that the financial package would sustain struggling businesses through the worst of the crisis. But now it is clear that the pandemic’s impacts to business and Chicagoans are outlasting original expectations and businesses across our region — and our employees — need more help. We have already begun to see the impact this will have, with thousands of businesses reportedly closing for good and half of Chicago residents experiencing significant financial challenges. Without further relief, these numbers will only increase, leading to additional jobless numbers and struggling families across Chicago.
We know there are many differences of opinions and priorities when it comes to a relief package. But much like our elected officials did when the CARES Act was originally passed, partisan differences need to be put on hold to allow further relief to be enacted before Congress leaves Washington on break. Doing so will provide needed support to our workers and relief to our tourism and hospitality industries, which will be of utmost importance to Chicago’s economic recovery when we are on the other side of the pandemic.
Without an end to this pandemic in sight, Chicago’s businesses and its workers are in need of action. Congress must come together and support our businesses so they can continue to move Chicago forward.
— Michael Jacobson, Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association; Jack Lavin, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce; Sam Toia, Illinois Restaurant Association; and David, Whitaker, Choose Chicago
My generation has failed its kids
Those darn kids. You know, the ones on college campuses having all those parties. Don’t they know or care that they’re endangering us older folks? We can’t fight off COVID-19 as easily as they can. Sure, we’re asking them to forgo all the wonderful things associated with college life — living away from home; meeting and socializing with people from different backgrounds; finding their voices in their new environment; making friends and associations that may well stay with them into their adult years. How could they be so thoughtless?
I was frustrated with them. Then it dawned on me. What have we sacrificed for them? We’ve known about climate change for decades. We’ve done a few things, but not nearly enough. It was and still is “an inconvenient truth”: “Dealing with it costs too much, it’ll ruin the economy, climate change is a hoax.”
How about the rising cost of college and the associated student-loan debt crisis? Uncontrolled gun violence that finds its way far too often into our schools and in our streets? An incomprehensible health care system that charges too many with high copays and deductibles and leaves too many out? (Thank goodness we old folks have Medicare.)
Then there’s the inability to deal with racism in a just, meaningful way. Oh, and the infrastructure the greatest generation left to us? Much of it was done through manual labor paid for by government programs, which allowed them to work their way out of a horrible depression. We wore it out and did not pay it forward. “Too expensive.” “No new taxes.”
And lest we forget: an economy in tatters and 200,000 people dead because somehow a spectacularly incompetent, unprincipled narcissist was elected president. Of the United States. Of America.
I am ashamed of my generation. We have failed our children and our children’s children. To right this wrong, the most impactful thing we can do at this pivotal moment in our history is to vote. Men and women fought and died to preserve this right. Do not dishonor them by sitting this one out.
— Pat O’Boyle, Richland Center, Wisconsin
Students’ lesson in Illinois politics
The protests held by high school student athletes and others, in and around Chicago, were prudent, peaceful and well-directed. I hope the protests are successful, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker allows the student athletes to play.
That said, I am aware that very few students vote, nor are they represented by powerful unions that funnel millions of dollars and votes to the Illinois governor and his boss, the speaker of the Illinois House. It is a sad and cynical lesson for these young adults to learn about how politics works here in Illinois.
— Richard L. Keal, Aurora
Bigger picture in Taylor shooting
We should quit scapegoating the three police officers involved in the raid that resulted in the death of Breonna Taylor. They were doing what we hired them to do. Rather, we should look to the intellectual authors of this tragedy. Who sent them out there that night? Who decided a midnight raid was something that is acceptable? Who trained the officers? Who controls the police department? Who controls the city of Louisville, Kentucky?
Unfortunately, the answers to these questions are: us. We elect the politicians who control the city, who hire the police chief, who hire and train the officers, who decide what is appropriate conduct and who supervise their actions. In the immortal words of Pogo: “We have met the enemy, and it is us.”
When we decide that “tough on crime” and “law and order” and “throw the book at them” are appropriate, we participate in that tragic raid, just as if we were there firing blindly all around like Officer Brett Hankison.
The city of Louisville has agreed to pay Taylor’s mother $12 million to compensate her for her loss. But paying that amount to Taylor’s mother will never really compensate for her loss. Rather, all of us should express our sorrow and regret and determine never to do this kind of thing again. The healing starts in Louisville, but it spreads everywhere people acknowledge that a life has been taken wrongfully.
— Frank L. Schneider, Chicago
Corporate greed hurts Chicago, too
Our local leaders beg wrongdoers to have mercy on the city. Violence has caused a downturn in Chicago’s economy and vibrancy. I wish we could also beg those greedy politicians and corporations to have mercy on the city. Their thievery has caused a downturn in our beautiful Chicago as much as anything.
— Susan Ohde, Chicago
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