Hastings: Don’t forget to support our local business this holiday season

• Small businesses
• Small Business Saturday

FRANKFORT – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) is reminding the residents of the fighting 19^th District to support local businesses this holiday season.

As families kick off their shopping this year, Hastings urges people to frequent local businesses on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 27.

“When you support local businesses you are investing directly in our communities,” Hastings said. “These local dollars are going toward creating jobs for our friends and neighbors, and improving our roads, streets and bridges.

Forbes reported that 78% of the small businesses surveyed said holiday sales will impact their ability to continue business next year with more than half saying holiday sales need to be better or above average to succeed.

Hastings reminds residents there are a variety of different ways they can support area businesses, whether it is leaving a positive review for a restaurant or business, sharing, reposting or retweeting a businesses’ social media posts, buying gift cards for later, or ordering takeout or delivery.

“When you support small businesses, you are nurturing a successful local economy,” Hastings said. “Our communities would not be the same without small businesses. Let’s come together and look for ways to support them as they have supported our communities throughout the pandemic.”

For those interested in looking for ways to support small businesses this holiday season, visit https://www.sba.gov/saturday.

Hastings urges residents to reach out to his office at 815-464-5431 or visit www.SenatorHastings.com with questions and concerns.

Hastings works to set up Illinois as green transportation hub

SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) joined his colleagues in passing the Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, a historic measure to preserve and create jobs in Illinois and incentivize electric vehicle manufacturers to create more jobs in the state.

Hastings helped champion House Bill 1769, which would provide a tax credit for manufacturers of electronic vehicles, parts, and power supplies. This new measure builds on Hastings’ work to make Illinois a leader in fighting climate change.

“This new measure sets up Illinois to tap into a new manufacturing industry,” Hastings said. “We are providing incentives to electric vehicle companies to set up shop in Illinois. These new good paying jobs will help grow our state’s economy and help us reduce global carbon emissions.”

Businesses in underserved areas would be eligible for a larger benefit. Underserved areas include communities with less than 100,000 population, retired fossil fuel plants, or closed mines.

The amount of training cost tax credits can increase if new employees are recent college grads, certificate holders or credential recipients from a college in Illinois.

Read more …

Hastings works to give airline employees sick time flexibility

SPRINGFIELD – Airline employees may soon have sick time flexibility, thanks to State Senator Michael E. Hastings.

Hastings (D-Frankfort) joined members of the Senate to pass House Bill 106, which allows airline employees to use already-earned sick time to care for sick family members.

“For far too long, airlines have been forcing hard working employees to choose between their livelihood and the health and well-being of their family members,” Hastings said. “It is about time that airlines join the many nationwide corporations in supporting their employees and adopting humane work policies.”

Read more …

Hastings congratulates recipients of Back to Business grants

• Small business

FRANKFORT – State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) is pleased to announce that 18 businesses in the district he represents will receive nearly $800,000 in combined grants to help them bounce back from the pandemic.

The B2B program allocated $250 million in American Rescue Plan dollars for small businesses negatively affected by the pandemic. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $150,000 per business and can be used to cover a wide range of operations such as staff and overhead costs.

“These vital funds will help struggling business owners who were hit the hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hastings said. “The small businesses across the south suburbs have worked tirelessly to support our community in countless ways. Now is the time for us to help them recover and bounce back from this awful pandemic.”

To further help small businesses across the community, Hastings urges residents to eat and shop local this holiday season.

“As you start working through your holiday gift lists, think, shop and dine local,” Hastings said. “Shopping local is another way to invest in our small businesses and keep growing our economy.”

For a full list of businesses that have received Back to Business grants, visit the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity awards page at illinois.gov/B2BAwards.