West Cook News

GOP candidate for governor Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) expressed concerns about rising school supply prices, and says Gov. J.B. Pritzker's policies are "hitting these hardworking families the hardest."

He notes that while Pritzker talks about helping middle and lower-income people, his policies have disproportionately harmed Illinoisans.

“The cost of school supplies is so high that some people are looking at using buy-now, pay-later plans just to get their kids the supplies they need for the new school," Bailey said. "These costs are up 40 percent, and many families are struggling to be able to afford the increase. The paltry sales tax holiday Pritzker is touting is not enough to help working families." 

Bailey said Pritzker's policies have been ineffective.

"We need real, substantial tax relief for Illinois families," Bailey said. "Let’s go to Springfield and consider meaningful, permanent reforms to help struggling families."

Some parents have chosen buy-now, pay-later plans to pay for school supplies, but this choice is not without drawbacks.

"That just seems, to me, out of control,” Ester di Filippo, a Chicago resident and mother of two students, told Fox News, the New York Post reported. “If people can’t afford it today, how are they going to afford it in 30 days when the payment’s due? It becomes a crisis all along with everybody.” 

Concerned about the rising cost of education in Illinois, Bailey has questioned his opponent's position in addressing the issue. He said that “Being woke is not an economic plan but unfortunately it is all JB Pritzker has to offer," according to Prairie State Wire. Bailey also vowed that as governor, he "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."

Between April and June of 2022, inflation led to a 0.9% yearly decline in the US Gross Domestic Product. The third consecutive month of decline for the University of Illinois' Flash Index, which went from 105.7 in May to 105.5 this month. Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch told The Center Square that he "would be most concerned about those folks who would be exposed to a consumer who thinks inflation is here to stay.”