* No surprise…
The principal sponsor of a bill to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour said the votes weren’t there to attempt an override of Gov Bruce Rauner’s veto of the bill.
Instead, Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, said she’ll continue to negotiate to find a compromise that will have the support of enough lawmakers to overcome a gubernatorial veto.
The first week of the veto session passed without an attempt to override Rauner’s veto of Senate Bill 81 that would have gradually increased the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by January, 2022. Illinois’ minimum wage currently is $8.25 an hour, a rate that’s been in effect since 2010. The federal minimum wage is set at $7.25 an hour. About 2.3 million Illinois workers make the minimum wage.
“I don’t believe we have the votes to override the governor,” Lightford said of her decision not to call the bill for a vote. “It’s difficult garnering a super majority. I’m hoping we can reintroduce a bill that can garner the votes that we need.”
The bill passed the General Assembly in late May, just before the legislature’s scheduled adjournment. However, it got only 61 votes in the House and the minimum 30 in the Senate to pass. Both totals were far short of what is needed to override a veto.
The Democratic leadership plays more games with its base on this topic than on anything else except maybe a graduated income tax.
- Puddintaine - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 9:26 am:
I know! Let’s blame Madigan for this.
- OurMagician - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 9:31 am:
Much like the other side, do the doable. Wouldn’t a $1 or $1.75 increase benefit those in need more than a zero percent increase? Increase to $9.25 in 2018/increase to $10 in 2020.
- City Zen - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 9:45 am:
@OurMagician - Agreed. The rate should be $9.40 today with inflation. Something is better than nothing.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 9:50 am:
Illinois Democrats at their most cynical. Disgraceful.
The hostility in some circles to those in the working class holding the s— end of the stick is perplexing; they’re not the 1% that’s been robbing you all these years. Other end.
Those who oppose a reasonable bump for that small percentage of workers would rather the taxpayers subsidize low wages via the corporate welfare of SNAP, Medicaid, Section 8, etc., to save a dime on their Happy Meal.
Makes no sense.
- Curl of the Burl - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 9:58 am:
Incremental changes makes more sense and makes either a gubernatorial signature or veto override a much easier sell.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:04 am:
Ya think they want the issue for 2018?
- Sue - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:05 am:
An example of why people recognize the Dems care about retaining majorities and ignoring those who rely most on them💩
- Publius - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:15 am:
Curl-
This does incrementally raise the rate and yet vetoed by the governor
Word slinger-
Really Dems passed it and governor vetoed it and you blame the democrats? Nope don’t see snark after your post
- Publius - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:17 am:
Sue
Really don’t get how you are mad at Dems they passed it and governor vetoed it and somehow Dems are using it for politics
- Fax Machine - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:19 am:
Puddintaine - actually this is something Madigan gets close to 100% of the blame for. They could have passed a higher minimum wage while Quinn was Governor but instead Madigan wanted to use the issue to drum up turnout with an advisory referendum.
- Arsenal - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:27 am:
==An example of why people recognize the Dems care about retaining majorities and ignoring those who rely most on them==
Sure, the party that passed the bill is worse than the party that vetoed it, OK.
- Anon - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:29 am:
===The Democratic leadership plays more games with its base on this topic than on anything else===
Period.
- Honeybear - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:31 am:
I must be honest and fair.
This is DEM perfidy
Not caring for the struggling
Contributed
Greatly
To 2016 losses
Let’s have a think DEMS
On the price
Of
Perfidy
- Curl of the Burl - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:34 am:
Publius - in my opinion an almost doubling of the minimum wage is not “incremental”. Incremental would be more like a 50 cents per year increase. Again - just my opinion.
SB 81’s concurrence to House Amendment #1 (the actual $15 an hour rate) barely passed the Senate with 30 votes. Scott Bennett and Julie Morrison both voted no. Linda Holmes (a former business owner) voted present and Napoleon Harris (a current business owner) did not vote and may have been opposed. With the narrow victories in the House (only 61 votes) and the Senate (passing with a bare bones majority) the doubling would make a full-blown override more difficult.
I agree that Rauner would likely never agree to any minimum wage increase. But if Senator Lightford and Rep. Guzzardi really want this passed maybe they need to scale it back a bit.
- Rufus - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:37 am:
How can anybody live on $16,500 a year (minus taxes). God, do the rich people hate the poor.
- wordslinger - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 10:39 am:
Publius, what makes this issue so extra-special that Dems wont attempt an override? They’ve failed on dozens of override votes of Rauner vetoes.
- jimbo - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 11:08 am:
Major retailer Target is raising wages like Illinois should. http://www.businessinsider.com/r-target-raises-minimum-hourly-wage-to-11-pledges-15-by-end-of-2020-2017-9
- Blue dog dem - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 11:13 am:
The prpgressive income tax will suffer a similar fate. Doesnt matter the governor.
- California Guy - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 11:29 am:
@ jimno
There’s actually quite a few retailers that pay above minimum wage. H&M, Ikea, Nordstrom, Costco, Lowes, Home Depot, the list goes on.
Emphasis on customer service has been a big retail trend lately. Retailers are making their own decisions to pay better wages due to the market pressures they face. Example: the returns line at WalMart is hell on earth, the returns line at Nordstrom you get offered coffee and is much faster.
Dems might just be weighing the political risk vs reward. If retailers are already trending toward higher wages, why press the issue?
- Quiet Sage - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 11:49 am:
The centrist Democrats’ refusal to make any real effort to raise the minimum wage, together with their ruthless effort to cut employees and retirees’ already earned pensions, stand as their greatest and most unforgivable failings in 2013 and 2014, killing the enthusiasm of the Democratic base and leading directly to Governor Rauner.
- City Zen - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 12:03 pm:
==The progressive income tax will suffer a similar fate.==
Because for it to be progressive it would have to include retirement income.
- LeadingInDecatur - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:10 pm:
Quiet Sage all day long…
- jim - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 1:15 pm:
you’re right about the game-playing. but why shouldn’t Madigan & Co. do so? Their targets fall for it every time.
- Generic Drone - Monday, Oct 30, 17 @ 8:04 pm:
Raise the minimum wage already. Nuff said.