North Egypt News

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) has expressed concern about rising school supply costs.

"Taking your kids school shopping used to be something parents and kids looked forward to doing together as a family," he said. "Replacing old backpacks and getting new clothes and new shoes for the coming school year was fun. But with higher prices, families are not enjoying the back-to-school shopping experience."

Bailey also warned about families having to rely on debt to meet rising prices. 

"In fact, many families are having to borrow money just to afford back-to-school costs," Bailey said. "We need to stop ignoring the challenges facing working families and get serious about providing permanent relief."

He also hit on Gov. J.B. Pritzker's policies regarding state tax rates. 

"The paltry sales tax holiday Pritzker is touting is not enough to help working families," Bailey added. "We need real, substantial tax relief for Illinois families. Let’s go to Springfield and consider meaningful, permanent reforms to help struggling families. JB Pritzker talks about helping middle- and lower-income folks, but all of his policies have hit these hardworking families the hardest.”

According to the National Retail Federation, school supply prices will have risen by 40% by the end of 2022. Ester di Filippo, a Chicago mother of two, estimated that the TI-84 calculator her daughter is using already costs $150. She told  Fox and Friends First during an interview that she believes "that it’s going to be a struggle and a different situation this year,” according to the New York Post.

For the third consecutive month, the University of Illinois' Flash Index decreased, from 105.7 in May to 105 this month. 

“Small businesses that are discretionary spending, whether it be restaurants or even movie theaters or what have you – I would be most concerned about those folks who would be exposed to a consumer who thinks inflation is here to stay,” Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch told The Center Square.

Bailey has brought into question Pritzker's effectiveness in the face of fiscal constraints. 

“Being woke is not an economic plan but unfortunately it is all JB Pritzker has to offer," he said, Prairie State Wire reported. "As governor, I will work to ensure state government agencies are more responsive to prospective businesses wanting to locate here and I will reduce business regulations and lower taxes to bring new jobs and new opportunities to Illinois. There is little Illinois can do to prevent a recession but there is a lot our state can do to minimize the effects of a recession on our state. Having a robust economy would help minimize the impact of a recession on our state’s economy but to get to that point, we need more than the far left talking points coming from JB Pritzker."