State Rep. Blaine Wilhour | File photo
State Rep. Blaine Wilhour | File photo
State Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Xenia) wants small business owners to realize their own power in their fight to save their livelihoods.
“The state has no enforcement authority,” Wilhour said of Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently moving to reenact COVID-19 restrictions in at least 24 counties after infection rates began to tick up. “To shut down a business, the state would have to get a court order. An executive order or emergency rules are not laws. We can’t continue to punish these business owners because the governor feels like he needs to do something.”
Pritzker’s latest move has instantly raised the ire of small business operators, such as restaurant and bar owners still reeling from the effects of his initial shutdown orders.
“Look, you could get COVID anywhere,” Wilhour added. “Take the precautions that are appropriate to your level of risk. The state refuses to produce the data that shows outbreaks in bars and restaurants.”
Given the increasingly high stakes, Wilhour said he isn’t surprised to now see so many small business owners fighting back, including launching a Facebook page where owners planning to defy his order can go to strategize and vent their frustrations.
“You have the right and legal cover to stay open,” he said. “Don’t let them fool you into believing any different. It’s your choice as a business owner. It is your choice as citizens in whether or not we go into these establishments.
Serving as the face of the 107th District since 2019, Wilhour is on the ballot on Nov. 3 against Democrat David Seiler.
Alerts Sign-up