Kane County Reporter

During National Small Business Week Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich) acknowledged that small businesses have been through a lot owing to the pandemic.

"The small businesses in our community add a character and distinction that make the 26th District a fantastic place to live, work, and shop. They've survived many challenges these past few years and I pledge to always support policies that will help our local businesses grow and thrive," McConchie posted on Facebook.

There are more than 1.2 million small businesses in Illinois, which employ 45% of the state's workforce, according to Business News Daily. Illinois businesses can face challenges related to the state's poor credit rating and large deficit. "The state of Illinois faces a gargantuan pension liability of more than $200 billion," said Jim Collins, Datamation co-founder and president. "This lack of fiscal management breeds concern among small business, and it is likely that the state will need to cut key functions and services."

As of March 2021, a year into Gov. Pritzker's mandated COVID lockdowns, 35% of Illinois small businesses had been forced to close, which is the eighth-highest number in the nation, Illinois Policy reported. More small businesses closed in Illinois than in any other Midwestern state except for Michigan.

At the start of 2022, less than one-third of Illinois' small businesses reported going back to their pre-pandemic revenue, according to Advantage News. "What this does tell us overall is that Illinois is slower to recover than many other states in the country," said Alignable head of research Chuck Casto.

National Small Business Week has been celebrated annually for more than 50 years, according to the Small Business Association (SBA). The SBA aims to recognize the vital role that entrepreneurs and small business owners play in the U.S.