Simple answers to simple questions
Tuesday, May 26, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Illinois Public Radio…
What Happened To The Minimum Wage Hike?
Despite overwhelming support from voters at last fall’s general election, an increase in the minimum wage appears to be dead in the spring session of the Illinois General Assembly.
Demonstrators were still rallying for it in the Capitol as recently as last week, and Sen. Kimberly Lightford’s Senate Bill 11 passed that chamber 35-18 in February. The Maywood Democrat’s bill would increase the hourly minimum wage from $8.25 to $9 everywhere in the state except Chicago, which is moving toward a wage of at least $13 per hour. But three months later, Lightford’s proposal has yet to move in the House.
SB 11 would take effected July 1, and each year on that date there would be an increase of 50 cents until the state’s minimum wage reached $11 in 2019. Chicago Democratic Rep. Art Turner is chief sponsor of the legislation in the House. With some legislators focused on dodging deep program cuts and eliminations, Turner says the minimum wage bump may end up sidelined — for now.
* From a newspaper column I wrote last December about the minimum wage hike…
Speaker Madigan himself shares in the blame here. Yes, he’s not all-powerful, but he probably could’ve passed a minimum wage bill during the spring session. Instead, he didn’t want to rile up business groups before an election and believed he could use the issue to fire up his party’s base and the unions in the November election.
As Champaign News-Gazette columnist Jim Dey wrote not long ago, former Senate President Phil Rock’s autobiography contains a story which explains Madigan to a “T.”
Rock wrote in his book “Nobody Calls Just to Say Hello.” that he wanted to pass a bill guaranteeing women unpaid maternity leave. Rock told Madigan and another House Democrat that he’d like to get the issue off the table by passing it. The Senate President believed Madigan was stalling.
“We jousted back and forth, and one of the House members said to me, ‘You know, I’m getting a little tired of you trying to do what’s right all the time. We’ve got a great political issue here,’” Rock wrote.
So, the answer is it’ll pop back up whenever Madigan thinks it’ll be useful against the governor. And it’s probably safe to say it’ll be designed to be vetoed. Madigan is closely allied to the Retail Merchants Association, which vehemently opposes a minimum wage hike.
- VanillaMan - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:46 am:
…the answer is it’ll pop back up whenever Madigan thinks it’ll be useful…
Yes. Absolutely. On every issue, as a matter of fact.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 11:51 am:
Agree with Vanilla, at the right time he’ll present a bill for a vote. The public supports it but the GOP doesn’t.
- anon - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:04 pm:
Ah, always thinking of the middle class, that MM!!
- Levois - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:11 pm:
Didn’t Madigan also indicate that he didn’t want to conflict with the minimum wage ordinance passed in Chicago?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:18 pm:
Vegas baby I’ll trade you minimum wage for right to work.
- Austin Blvd - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
It seems everybody has forgot this simple fact…
Rauner said he would support a raise in the minimum-wage in conjunction with business reforms being approved.
Now, he wants the budget to be contingent upon business reforms.
He has changed the rules of the game and no one has called him on it.
Thus, who has time to talk about the minimum wage?
- Stones - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:26 pm:
Senator Rock was a true statesman. We could use a few more legislators like him in Springfield.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:30 pm:
===He has changed the rules of the game and no one has called him on it.===
Excellent observation. Well done. The goal posts keep moving.
- OneMan - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:33 pm:
Yeah, it’s Rauner’s fault. It isn’t like there was time after the referendum and before Rauner became governor.. Oh yeah, there was.
- Mittuns - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:50 pm:
Shimkus was on STLPR this afternoon. When asked about the 2016 Presidential Race, he said he is waiting for Rauner to make a decision.
Take my Governor. Please.
- zonz - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 1:49 pm:
“I’m proud of the record I’ve built as Governor of Illinois.” -Bruce Rauner
—————–
- Mittuns - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:50 pm:
Shimkus was on STLPR this afternoon. When asked about the 2016 Presidential Race, he said he is waiting for Rauner to make a decision.
Take my Governor. Please.
- Just Me - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 1:53 pm:
Public support for an issue is immaterial to the Speaker and his enablers.
- Nick Danger - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 1:53 pm:
Sometimes we forget that muni’s and other public bodies as well as tons of non-profits pay minimum wage. And that even if an entity pays above minimum wage, a MW hike impacts all wages, they will all rise. So that’s good for workers yes? The other side is that the $$ to pay the wage increase have to come from either customers and/or taxpayers. So there may be hesitation from some sponsors or leaders to move this forward.
- Mouthy - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 2:10 pm:
I knew it was a sham..
- A guy - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 2:28 pm:
Minimum interest in minimum wage and the “little guy” for the time being. Don’t worry, another election cycle will be upon us and the pawns will be kings for a few more months. These legislators date, but they don’t marry.
Anyone looking out for the jobs that aren’t minimum wage? You know, the ones that people really prefer?
- veritas - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 2:56 pm:
Following the advisory question on the November ballot, I sent an email to our local rep David Leitch (R) in which I stated: “….it seems that the voters of Illinois are overwhelmingly in support the increase. Therefore, I would ask that you consider adding your support to this initiative.”
Leitch’s response was unambiguous and without any explanation: “I do not support increasing the minimum wage unless it is part of a business reform package.”
So much for the will of the people.
- Amalia - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 3:19 pm:
the Rock comment is right on. try and move something for the public good, and one can often be on the receiving end of Madigan minions telling you that you just blew an opportunity for them to hit someone with a bad vote.
- Century Club - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 3:25 pm:
Strangely, the Speaker is only interested in calling things for a vote that won’t pass.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 4:10 pm:
Rich, Absolutely correct, which just highlights the politics over progress that drives Madigan.
- ivote - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 5:03 pm:
Madigan has apparently totally forgotten the purpose of having all the power, and now is in it ONLY for the power. What about helping people, Mike? How many minimum-wage workers are going to suffer longer because you are waiting for the right political moment? (The same can be said about many other issues!) Meanwhile, Billionaire Bruce thinks EVERYTHING is about money. He buys everything else, now he wants to buy himself a General Assembly. He might just do it if he bids high enough, but then have one more place to live–the federal prison, next to Rod! Meanwhile, virtually every proposal in the “turn around” agenda takes money FROM working people. Destroying the unions, eliminating prevailing wage, and remember he originally wanted to eliminate the minimum wage completely. And what are his millionaire and billionaire friends going to sacrifice? NOTHING! So, it’s time for MJM to get his heart and soul back in the game and try to DO something except perpetuating his dynasty. Look, I am no political neophyte–was around there for er 20 years. I understand the need for politics, but isn’t it OK SOMETIMES–just occasionally–to do the right thing?? If not, it’s time for MJM to realize his legacy will be one of power, with no accomplishments. Sick of the whole bunch.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 9:15 pm:
ivote, I feel that’s one of the fairer assessments of MJM I’ve ever read, and probably not too far off base.