PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria City Council Tuesday night unanimously approved a resolution that will be sent to Governor J.B Pritzker for local non-essential retail businesses.
Big box stores are open during the pandemic selling essential goods, and council member John Kelly said it is an unfair situation for small businesses that also sell essential goods.
“These local merchants could safeguard the public’s health just as well, or better, than those larger store,” Kelly said.
An example Kelly gave to the council is Bushwhacker in Junction City, where the store is partially closed.
“So, they left that part of Bushwhacker’s open for bicycle sales and service. But, you can walk into that store and see caution tape around the rest of their inventory,” Kelly said.
The inventory, according to Kelly, includes backpacks, clothing, and running shoes; items that can also be purchased at the big box stores.
City Manager Patrick Urich said the resolution asks Pritzker to reconsider.
“And, to give some due allowance to the local small retailers that had been adversely affected,” Urich said.
The council also approved Tuesday night for Urich to look into a scenario of $10 million worth of operating cuts for the city’s budget.
“Coupled with other options for borrowing, as well as our capital reductions in order to present a plan that will balance the budget through 2020 and 2021,” Urich said.
The next step is to meet with the bargaining units to see where reductions can be made.
“To bargain over the impact and the implementation if we were to have any position reductions,” Urich said. “But, we’ll also see if the bargaining units have any alternatives that they would want to explore and discuss with us.”
The council voted to approve the declaration of local state of emergency.
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