Dear Friend,

Our hospitals are under heavy stress due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, and if we continue on our current course, they may soon become overwhelmed.

Doctors and nurses are doing their best to care for us—we need to do our part, too.

To contain the spread of the virus, Gov. JB Pritzker has instituted new Tier 3 resurgence mitigations across the state that began today, Friday, Nov. 20 at 12:01 a.m.

Tier 3 mitigations include new guidance for all industries:

The Illinois Department of Public Health also suggests keeping home gatherings to household members only and working from home when possible. Find a full list of Tier 3 mitigations here.

IDPH will continue to track our region over the next two weeks to determine if mitigations can be relaxed. In order for Tier 3 mitigations to be lifted, we must see a reduction in our average positivity rate, a decrease in our hospitalizations, and an increase in our ICU and hospital bed availability. You can monitor the latest state and regional numbers here.

Please note: This latest round of mitigations does not include a stay-at-home order.

Help our community get back on its feet by doing your part to stop the spread: Please continue to wear a mask, wash your hands and maintain safe social distancing as much as possible, and urge your friends, family and neighbors to do the same.

In the meantime, businesses who may be struggling as a result of the pandemic should apply for aid through the Business Interruption Grant program, and I encourage residents to support those businesses working hard to follow state guidelines and keep staff and customers safe.

Our community needs your help to recover from this setback. Especially with the holidays on the horizon, I urge you to do right by your friends, family and neighbors by following these health and safety guidelines. With questions about these mitigations or other issues facing our area, please contact my office at https://senatorjacquelinecollins.com/contact-us.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Collins
State Senator, 16th Illinois Senate District

Dear friend,

Last week, Mayor Lightfoot announced new COVID-19 mitigations in Chicago to reverse the worsening trends of hospitalizations and deaths. In addition to targeted regulations and a new information campaign, these measures also include a Stay at Home Advisory. I urge you to familiarize yourself with this new information and to follow these new guidelines. The pandemic is only worsening, but we can all work together to prevent its spread.

You can read full details of the “Protect Chicago” campaign here.

As part of "Protect Chicago", the Mayor has instituted a Stay at Home Advisory that went into effect as of today, Monday, Nov. 16 at 6 a.m. Residents are strongly encouraged to only leave home to go to work or school, or for essential needs such as seeking medical care, going to the grocery store or pharmacy, picking up take-out food, or receiving deliveries. When you do leave home, wear a face covering and practice social distancing by staying six feet away from others.

We also need to put off any gatherings, something I know can be painful. It is strongly advised you not have guests in your home unless they are essential workers (e.g., home health care providers, child care workers or educators), that you cancel traditional Thanksgiving celebrations, and that you avoid travel.

In accordance with the Stay at Home Advisory, the City will also impose and enforce attendance limits on meetings and special events to no more than 10 people. Effective today, all indoor or outdoor events and meetings, such as weddings, birthday parties, and other events taking place at banquet halls, event venues or similar spaces will be limited to no more than 10 people. Existing capacity guidelines at establishments such as fitness clubs, retail stores, movie theaters or performance venues, will remain unchanged.

Businesses can continue operating under the existing COVID-19 regulations, with the addition of the new 10-person limit on events. You can find the latest information on these regulations at chicago.gov/reopening. As I have throughout this pandemic, I encourage you, if you are a business owner, to do everything you can to accommodate things like home delivery or curbside service.

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Dear Friend,

As you may have heard, increased mitigation measures are taking effect in a number of regions across the state, including the Chicago area, to curb the spread of COVID-19.

These additional mitigations are being introduced to preserve the health and safety of our residents. COVID-19 positivity rates, both locally and statewide, have climbed to dangerous levels, increasing pressure on our health care workers and putting us all at heightened risk of contracting this deadly illness.

For these reasons, it’s critical that we follow the guidelines set forth by the City of Chicago, which are outlined below.

I’m aware these restrictions won’t be easy on our small business community, which is why I have also included information on available assistance for those struggling.

By taking the appropriate precautions to keep ourselves and each other safe, we can bring down our positivity rates and get our region back on track—please continue to wear masks, wash your hands and practice social distancing, and encourage your family members and friends to do the same.

And don’t forget to get a flu shot to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed with COVID-19 and flu patients. You can find information on the availability of shots here.

If my office can be of assistance to you during this time, please don’t hesitate to contact us at my website here.

Stay safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Collins
State Senator, 16th Illinois Senate District

Mitigation Q&A

What will change under the new mitigation measures?

The Illinois Department of Public Health has imposed stricter rules on bars and restaurants, including:

Read more ...

Dear friend,

During the last several weeks, a number of you have reached out to me with inquiries about a referendum that will appear on the ballot this fall. The proposal would amend a single provision in the state constitution that currently requires the state income tax to be assessed at the same rate on all taxpayers, regardless of income.

If the referendum is approved by voters, a sliding-scale tax rate will be implemented — one that allows higher rates to be charged on higher incomes and lower rates on lower incomes. This sliding-scale tax rate was enacted in 2019. If the referendum is voted down by the voters, the state’s flat income tax rate will stay in place.

For more information, visit https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/con_amend/ca_english.pdf .

To find out how much you would pay visit: https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/gov/fairtax/Pages/default.aspx .

Below, I’ve also included a few frequently asked questions. I hope this helps clear up any confusion. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions.

Sincerely,

Jacqueline Collins
State Senator, 16th Illinois Senate District

Frequently Asked Questions

Q - Does the referendum enact a tax on retirement income?
A - No, the amendment does not give new authority.

Q - Does the referendum allow the General Assembly to increase taxes anytime they
want?
A - The General Assembly currently has that power. The referendum does nothing to
change it.

Q - Does the referendum open up the constitution for additional changes?
A - No, the constitution requires that a referendum must be limited to a single subject. In
this case, it is the state income tax rate and nothing else.