By Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. J.B. Pritzker is counting on help from the federal government to shore up the state’s finances as the number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois continues to climb.
Public health officials on Monday announced 1,006 new cases of COVID-19 and an additional 33 deaths for a total of 12,262 cases and 307 deaths. Cases have been reported in 73 of the state’s 102 counties. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported for the first time on Monday that of the 12,262 COVID-19 cases, 3,680 people were hospitalized.
Of the 28,139 hospital beds in the state, 16,146 were in use for all conditions. Of that, 2,514 were being used by COVID-19 patients. Of the 2,709 ICU beds in the state, 1,760 were being used, of which 1,166 are COVID-19 patients. Of the 2,791 ventilators in the state, IDPH reported, 1,198 were being used, of which 821 were for COVID-19 patients.
In addition to public health issues, the state’s public finances have come into focus.
Illinois’ state government finances were already a problem before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability recently said it was virtually impossible to estimate the revenue losses, but the state could potentially lose $8 billion in revenue over several years. Increased state spending on benefits because of the crisis also is expected. On top of that, the state has more than $136 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and a multi-billion dollar backlog of unpaid bills and other debts.
“I think a lot of it is going to depend upon the federal government,” Pritzker said. “There’s just no one else that can step in to help our state finances the way the federal government can.”
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, said Congress is discussing the next steps, and those steps need to let the latest phase be initiated correctly. But he said Illinois needs to learn a lesson.
“I certainly hope the governor and the legislators take a good hard look at what their leadership over the last few decades has done to our state to put us in a position where we’re not able to deal with a pandemic as well as some other states,” Davis said.
Personal finance website Wallethub recently ranked Illinois’ as the tenth most economically vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Donald Trump on Sunday said despite the federal government delivering manpower, supplies and other resources to Illinois, Pritzker likes to complain. Pritzker has been critical of the White House, including the administration’s handling of the strategic stockpile and Trump’s response to the pandemic.
The governor on Monday said instead of relying on the federal government to deliver what Illinois needs, his administration has been going out and getting the supplies from other sources.
“To anyone who wants a response to some of the blame-shifting coming out of the White House, all I have to say is look at the numbers,” Pritzker said.
Davis said that’s what the governor should be doing.
“If anybody thought that the federal government was going to provide all of the personal protective equipment needs, unfortunately, was mistaken,” Davis said.
Davis said now is not the time to “Monday morning quarterback” any level of government. He also said there needs to be a full accounting of the materials to ensure what’s needed gets delivered to where it’s needed.
So far this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has earmarked more than $115 million in federal support to the state of Illinois.
A White House official said that federal assistance includes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building several medical facilities and the U.S. Coast Guard helping with meals for first responders, testing locations and more. The White House also said the federal government has provided Illinois with hundreds of thousands of masks, gowns and gloves. Chicago has also been getting its own supply from the federal government.
Illinois Radio Network can be reached at [email protected].
