COLLINSVILLE – To help promote local businesses in her district during National Small Business Week, state Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, spent time during her week home from session visiting an array of local vendors in the Metro East Area, including Ceretto’s Maryville Pharmacy, Sour Mash, Water Sweets, Stix & Stones and Whisker Bones in downtown Edwardsville.
“Small businesses help grow our local economy and we need to make sure that we are giving them every chance possible to thrive,” said Stuart. “Local, independent pharmacies like Ceretto’s that have served our community for over 35 years and employ students from our local universities are being forced out of business by giant chain pharmacies. Ceretto’s offers different kinds of compounding medication for veterinarians and free delivery to their customers, as well as different dosages of medications to fit individual customer’s needs, providing the kind of personal, individualized service that many chain pharmacies are unable to do.”
Stuart has sponsored a variety of pieces of legislation to help support small businesses, including legislation requiring the State of Illinois to prioritize Illinois-made and American-made goods in state purchasing. She was a sponsor of the Keep Illinois Business Act to crack down on corporations that take taxpayer-funded state tax breaks only to then move jobs overseas.
