FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPRINGFIELD, IL (February 21, 2024) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading advocate for small business, commented on Governor J.B. Pritzker’s State of the State Address.

“Governor Pritzker painted a rosy picture of the state of the state today, but—outside the halls of power in Springfield and Chicago—Main Street businesses are experiencing a different reality,” said Noah Finley, Illinois State Director of NFIB. “Small business optimism remains depressed, as job creators face ongoing inflation, onerous regulations and mandates, and a shortage of qualified labor.”

“To realize the state’s full potential, NFIB calls on Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly to roll back the tax and regulatory burden on small businesses and unleash the dreams and aspirations of current and aspiring job creators and small-business owners across Illinois.”

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Claim: Governor Pritzker painted a rosy picture of the state of the state today, but—outside the halls of power in Springfield and Chicago—Main Street businesses are experiencing a different reality. Small business optimism remains depressed, as job creators face ongoing inflation, onerous regulations and mandates, and a shortage of qualified labor.

Dunkelberg, William C. & Wade, Holly, “Small Business Economic Trends (January 2024),” NFIB, January 2024, SBET-Jan-2024.pdf.

For 80 years, NFIB has been advocating on behalf of America’s small and independent business owners, both in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals. NFIB is nonprofit, nonpartisan, and member-driven. Since our founding in 1943, NFIB has been exclusively dedicated to small and independent businesses, and remains so today. For more information, please visit nfib.com.