Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Pritzker roundup
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Pritzker roundup

Thursday, Dec 13, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller

* As subscribers have known for weeks, floor votes to fund a capital bill have been put off until after lame duck session

Democratic Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker on Wednesday didn’t dismiss the possibility of a gas tax hike to help pay for rebuilding the state’s infrastructure, but he also cautioned that a major construction program won’t come quickly when his administration begins Jan. 14.

Pritzker also said a capital program and money to pay for it isn’t something the lame-duck legislature should pursue when it returns to Springfield on Jan. 7.

“I think it’s unnecessary to do it before I take office. We’re going to work hard on it all together to make it happen and I want to make sure that we’re focused on it immediately upon taking office,” Pritzker said at an unrelated event in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

Still, Pritzker said it “might take a little time” to put together a comprehensive statewide bill to build and replace roads, bridges, water systems and mass transit, along with “the various sources that might fund it.”

* Meanwhile, the answer is “No”…



Emanuel is trying to stay relevant on his way out. Pritzker is coming in and will have to deal with a new mayor.

* And if there was still any doubt

Illinois governors don’t have a role in that [constitutional amendment] process, but Pritzker made it clear that he wouldn’t expend any political capital on a constitutional amendment.

“My commitment is to pay the pensions that are owed to people,” Pritzker said. “I just don’t see the likelihood of anybody getting a constitutional amendment passed to change that provision in our constitution. And it’s not something that I’m out promoting.”

Fuhgeddaboudit.

* Same goes for the mayor’s casino idea

Emanuel said he’d push for the Chicago casino before his term ends in May, but negotiations on the long-shot bid will be in the hands of lawmakers in Springfield. The prospect of a Chicago casino has been floated numerous times in the past, only to be sunk by competing demands in other betting industries.

A spokeswoman for J.B. Pritzker said the governor-elect has supported the expansion of gaming to help pay for a capital bill, but the actual details haven’t been directly discussed.

* Meanwhile, WSIL TV talked to a business owner about Pritzker’s vow to eventually raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour with some sort of tax relief to small businesses

17th Street Barbecue in Murphysboro is one of those small businesses that could feel the impact of hiking up wages.

Amy Mills is co-owner of the restaurant. She says Pritzker’s plan would devastate her business.

“Our menu prices would have to rise so high that I don’t think our locals would be able to eat out very often,” Mills said. “To me, raising the minimum wage really is penalizing the mom and pops.”

During his stop in Springfield on Monday, Pritzker reminded everyone the increase would happen over several years.

“I feel like in this area would be so difficult to even raise the hourly wage in increments because we still will be raising prices to keep up,” Mills said.

* The La Salle News Tribune talked to some workers

Deenna Moss placed a customer’s purchases into plastic bags.

“You can’t live on $8.25 an hour,” Moss said.

Moss is compensated with Illinois’ minimum wage for her work as a cashier at Dollar General in La Salle.

Moss, a proponent of raising the minimum wage, said she has to live with her 31-year-old daughter to make ends meet. […]

Melissa Carter, who makes $9 an hour, said she needs three roommates just to survive. She has two kids at home. Carter works as the manager at Little Caesars Pizza in Peru.

“It’s frustrating,” she said about the pay. Carter has college credits, but said she wasn’t able to afford to finish the degree.

       

37 Comments
  1. - Honeybear - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:05 pm:

    Look I get that it is going to be tough for the mom and pop small business. Hopefully making it gradual will help. Hopefully tax credits could help as well.

    But I’m always for the worker if I can be.

    It will be good for our economy.
    Minimum wage workers love to eat good BBQ as well.
    as Will Rogers used to say
    “Always give a poor man a dollar. It’ll be back in the pocket of the rich man by nightfall, but at least it passed through the poor fellars hand.”


  2. - Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:08 pm:

    Back in 1971 or so, you couldn’t live on $1.60 per hour either.


  3. - Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:09 pm:

    I am speechless.


  4. - wordslinger - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:11 pm:

    –Emanuel is trying to stay relevant on his way out.–

    Strange timing to be pushing heavy-lift proposals.


  5. - histprof - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:11 pm:

    Not sure I quite get your point, Anonymous @ 1:08. Can you give us one more sentence?


  6. - Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:13 pm:

    Let me guess. Farm workers will be exempt. Afraid food prices would go through the roof. Nursing home workers too. Cant let the costs get too high. Nobody could afford it.


  7. - Downstate - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:21 pm:

    $9/hour as the manager of a Little Caesars?
    Ma’am, you are vastly underpaid for your position. I know of several dining establishment that will pay much more than that for a management experience.


  8. - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:45 pm:

    Good again on Pritzker for not supporting a CA on pensions, and for supporting workers getting their pensions.

    Based on the highest incomes being taxed too low for decades, the CA Illinois needs is to right-size the tax code and enact a progressive income tax. With the strong Democratic GA supermajorities and Pritzker’s support, this is our best opportunity to get a progressive income tax on the ballot for voters to decide.


  9. - Precinct Captain - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:46 pm:

    ==- Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:13 pm:==

    Not so speechless.


  10. - Thomas Paine - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 1:58 pm:

    Mills apparently does not understand how rising wages work.

    Yes, a rack of ribs might go from $23 to $25. But minimum wage workers in your area will be making an extra $200 a week, which means they will be able to afford 17th Street once-a-month instead of Arby’s.

    You know what isnt gonna help you sell ribs? Being against raising the minimum wage when 80 percent of your potential customers are for it.


  11. - LXB - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:07 pm:

    17th St in both Marion and Murphysboro does a brisk business (and takes a lot money from local Dem events, I might add); they’ll be fine. More money circulating in the community through the hands of people who need to spend it helps them and the whole area. We actually have plenty of data on this.


  12. - Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:07 pm:

    The best location for a Chicago casino would be in the existing building located at 100 West Randolph Street. the lower portion of the building would be the casino, the upper levels restaurants and a hotel. Easy access to all rapid transit trains, close to all METRA trains and AMTRAK, plenty of parking lots surrounding the building. Last I heard was the current owner was attempting to sell the building. The mayor drives by this building every single day.


  13. - BenFolds5 - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:16 pm:

    17th Street is delicious. By the way, the beautiful part of living in America is a free market sets wages. Many employers in this tight market are paying $15 in the Chicago suburbs. What does 17th Street do when the economy turns? When people can’t eat out as much? LXB… They took a risk to open a business. Who helped them meet payroll in the beginning when things were tough? Honeybear- Yes, the unions. The Unions. While you are making the case on how important they are while you blog all day on the States dime.


  14. - wordslinger - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:27 pm:

    –By the way, the beautiful part of living in America is a free market sets wages–

    Another proud graduate of Week One of Econ. 101.

    If you ever make it to American History 101, you may learn that starting in about the 1890s or so concerned citizens and clergy began pushing for laws to protect workers from the indifferent, inhumane practices of the “free markets.”

    You know, child labor laws, minimum wage, health and safety regulations — the sort of things the free market didn’t concern itself with.


  15. - BenFolds5 - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:33 pm:

    Word- That’s not an issue today, is it? Been to a Mc Donalds with no cashiers yet? Have the government tell business what to pay and we will have no mom and pops left. Look at what Walmart did to smaller towns. Amazon pay’s $15 an hour and cancelled benefits.


  16. - Sue - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:44 pm:

    Don’t be shocked if like most Illinois labor laws- collectively bargained employers are exempt on the pretense that it interferes with union negotiations. Then employers are incentivized to become organized. Just saying- it’s happened before


  17. - Grandson of Man - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:44 pm:

    “Have the government tell business what to pay and we will have no mom and pops left”

    More like giving mega corporations like Amazon billions of tax dollars to locate somewhere. Or Foxconn: $4 billion in tax breaks and incentives for maybe 13,000 jobs. No crocodile tears for those from the IPI concern trol—I mean state workers who want their pensions cut.


  18. - wordslinger - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:44 pm:

    –Word- That’s not an issue today, is it?–

    What is not an issue today? I don’t understand whatever it is you’re trying to say with your word salad after that. You’re all over the place.


  19. - Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:45 pm:

    Dollar.25 General?


  20. - Lester Holt’s Mustache - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:46 pm:

    ==Amy Mills is co-owner of the restaurant. She says Pritzker’s plan would devastate her business.==

    Didn’t her company just get a huge federal tax cut? You remember, the one that Pete Roskam and Paul Ryan both claimed “will allow small businesses all over the country to increase wages and hire more employees”?

    Sorry Ms mills, but the national Republican Party tells me that you are not telling the truth here


  21. - BenFolds5 - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:50 pm:

    Child labor laws are not an issue today. At all. The only companies that can afford $15 an hour are HUGE corporations that can eliminate competition. Then, when there are no decent jobs left with small businesses crushed, I hope the $15 an hour was worth it.


  22. - Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 2:50 pm:

    Love me some 17Th street……but it already comes at a fairly high price by so Illinois standards.


  23. - Demoralized - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 3:05 pm:

    ==Have the government tell business what to pay and we will have no mom and pops left. ==

    You are aware that the government already does that right? We currently have a minimum wage.

    ==collectively bargained employers are exempt==

    Collectively bargained employers aren’t likely to be paying less than $15.

    And, as per usual, we can count on you to come in with the anti-union label. Give it a rest already. You’re becoming as bad as LP


  24. - Groucho - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 3:25 pm:

    Isn’t considering tax relief for small businesses in order to cushion forced wage increases conceding that raising the minimum wage will hurt small businesses?


  25. - Illinois Resident - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 3:33 pm:

    Higher minimum wages means more sales for small and large businesses. Folks in this category spend their money and help the economy. It is not right for full time workers to live in poverty. If a company can only survive on paying workers $8.25 an hour, maybe they should close shop.


  26. - happythursday - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 3:46 pm:

    Just waiting on my UBI and being hooked up to tubes that do everything for me until I die while half machine half god Jeff Bezos reigns supreme with his robots.


  27. - Sue - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:04 pm:

    Demoralized. You are just ignorant about the private sector. I have many unionized clients that pay less then 15. Unskilled labor Scarface’s in the $10 plus area for starting wage rates in smaller companies. Union or non-union


  28. - Sue - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:05 pm:

    “Starts” in the $10 plus


  29. - Anono - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:07 pm:

    Wait…. the media talked to a restaurant about a possible minimum wage increase?

    When I waited tables back in the day the server minimum wage was about 1/3rd of the going minimum wage at the time… I barely made the equivalent of “minimum wage” with tips and that was on a good night waiting tables with a lot of drinkers.

    Waiters and waitresses make less than peanuts.


  30. - Demoralized - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:14 pm:

    == You are just ignorant==

    That’s the pot calling the kettle black.

    But that Starts to Scarface auto correct is pretty funny. Made me laugh.


  31. - Illinois' Downfall - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:19 pm:

    ==Higher minimum wages means more sales for small and large businesses. Folks in this category spend their money and help the economy. It is not right for full time workers to live in poverty. If a company can only survive on paying workers $8.25 an hour, maybe they should close shop.==

    Yes, because a decrease in businesses equates to more jobs opportunities?

    I love how everyone is an expert on how much businesses should pay their employees, yet no one talks about all of the hurdles and barriers to market entry that business owners face in this state…


  32. - Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:19 pm:

    I am an advocate of a higher min wage. Maybe $12.50. But if ya’ll dont think that certain businesses on border towns and counties will move to less costly areas, ya need to go take that Econ 101 class.


  33. - Demoralized - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:51 pm:

    ==ya need to go take that Econ 101 class.==

    What was it Rich said? I believe he noted that is the most dangerous class in college.


  34. - Honeybear - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 4:51 pm:

    -no one talks about all of the hurdles and barriers to market entry that business owners face in this state…-

    Then don’t start a business. Or better yet write a better business plan with better cost analysis. Don’t give me that barriers crap. I’ve owned a business and my barriers had nothing to do with the state. Cry wolf business, cry wolf. You’ve done it for too long. Increasingly no one is listening to it.


  35. - wordslinger - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 6:14 pm:

    –But if ya’ll dont think that certain businesses on border towns and counties will move to less costly areas, ya need to go take that Econ 101 class.–

    No, they all moved already because of taxes, remember?

    Moving is so easy. Costs nothing. And your customers will follow you, no matter where you go.


  36. - Blue Dog Dem - Thursday, Dec 13, 18 @ 8:14 pm:

    Word. Regrettably. In the world of TIF,tax abatement , and tax credits, moving a small company is simpler than ever. It stinks it’s so easy. Had the wife and I been ruthless(good?) business people, the value of the old widget factory was darn near double in both Missouri and Indiana. But we are both illinoisians. So we took what we could get at sale. Just curious. You still buying Oreos.


  37. - wordslinger - Friday, Dec 14, 18 @ 8:49 am:

    –Had the wife and I been ruthless(good?) business people, the value of the old widget factory was darn near double in both Missouri and Indiana. But we are both illinoisians. So we took what we could get at sale. –

    Yeah, I’m sure that’s how it all went down, just your noble self-sacrifice. You’re quite the legend in your own mind, a Robert E. Lee of state loyalty. Build yourself a statue.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Showcasing The Retailers Who Make Illinois Work
* Reader comments closed for the holidays
* And the winners are…
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to previous editions
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Report: Far-right Illinois billionaires may have skirted immigration rules
* Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards (Updated)
* Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller