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Minimum wage gains momentum in Senate, loses steam in House

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Illinois

* The Senate appears poised to move ahead with a minimum wage hike despite GOP opposition…

As the Legislature reconvened Wednesday, Sen. Kimberly Lightford announced her plan to “fulfill the terms of the ballot question” approved overwhelmingly by voters in Republican and Democratic districts alike. Earlier this month, 67 percent of Illinois’ voters approved a non-binding resolution that said the hourly wage should go up to $10 by Jan. 1.

Lightford, D-Maywood, said she filed legislation to raise the minimum wage to $10 by July 1.

Her proposal easily cleared a Senate committee Wednesday afternoon. But not before Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno pointed out, “we do have a new governor.” […]

Lightford’s proposal would not only bump the minimum hourly wage for adults to $10 by July 1, it would continue to increase the wage to $10.50 in July, 2016 and $11 in July, 2017..

* But there’s still a problem in the House…

Rauner’s campaign has said he won’t work against Quinn’s efforts to solely raise the wage, and the voter response could be useful for reluctant lawmakers.

But political experts say the Democratic-controlled Capitol could have raised the wage earlier if there was political will, and lawmakers have little incentive to help shape Quinn’s legacy on his way out, partially because of his frosty-at-times relationship with the legislature.

House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, who is a sponsor of the minimum wage bill, doesn’t anticipate much movement.

“We didn’t have the votes to do it in the spring, and I’m not sure even though there was good support for it,” she said.

* More…

Business groups say they’ll continue to fight the measure, as lawmakers are scheduled to return to Springfield in early December and also could come back for last-minute, lame-duck action in early January before a new crop of legislators is sworn in.

“That’s a huge jump for small business owners to absorb,” said Kim Clarke Maisch, Illinois state director of the National Federation of Independent Business. “Going all the way to $11 would again push Illinois toward having one of the highest minimum wages in the country at a time when our neighboring states are mostly at the federal rate. We believe strongly that this puts Illinois small business owners at a competitive disadvantage.”

Lightford argues Illinois workers have been paid too little for years, and said businesses with fewer than four employees would only be required to pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.

“The business community has had years of relief,” Lightford said. “I think it’s just that they don’t want to do it because they don’t have to do it.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 10:38 am

Comments

Huh. Haven’t we heard from some quarters that the House is a lockstep monolith?

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 10:45 am
The progressive struggle never ends does it? If they really want to lift people out of poverty and turn minimum wage jobs into something you should use as a permanent source of income to raise your family on, why not raise the minimum wage to a comfortable $25 per hour?

Comment by So. ILL Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 10:50 am
=== why not raise the minimum wage to a comfortable $25 per hour? ===

In due time pal.

Comment by PublicServant Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:07 am
For those keeping score, who is it again that’s preventing this from passing?

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:10 am
PublicService would like to see $25/hour on January 1, 2015. Heck, he doesn’t have to pay it, someone else does.

Comment by anon Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:10 am
Once again: The House is significantly more conservative on economic and fiscal issues, than one would suppose by its party label makeup.

Comment by walker Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:11 am
The free ride has to end. How long will taxpayers be on the hook to subsidize private industry that refuses to pay a living wage? There are definitely people abusing the welfare system and those people are the people running companies that expect taxpayers to supplement employee pay. You can’t run a modern economy when workers can’t afford to buy a fast food meal at the McDonalds they work at and corporate pirates can pay $150,000 to join wine clubs.

Comment by Carhart Representative Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:21 am
The minimum wage will increase in Illinois this year. It’s trending this year all over the country, and I’m sure Madigan is looking to raise it. $8.25 is so yesterday.

Comment by Mokenavince Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:25 am
What else could we put on the next ballot that the public would “approve overwhelmingly”? Would you like the government to supply you with a new car? Perhaps, hot tubs for everyone?

Comment by Robbie Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:25 am
Apparently Carhart Rep is calling for repeal of the earned income tax credit, which specifically subsidizes people who work but don’t earn “a living wage”.

Comment by Put the Fun in unfunded Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:35 am
Why doesn’t Lightfoot propose legislation to cut state reps and senators pay and retirement to help the state with it’s ongoing financial dilemma? Lightfoot seems to excel at spending other people’s money. Time for Lightfoot to get some of her own skin in the game.

Comment by Coffee Cup Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:36 am
They should have voted on it months ago. It is odious that Governor Quinn and crew postponed a vote for his own benefit. Let someone else, anyone else, get the == credit == for this. Share the credit among all members for this vote, or give the credit to some junior member of either party if you want. Just not Governor Quinn after the games he played on this.

It is also popular enough that it will pass after January 1, and can be done with bipartisan support. Staffers for Rauner, Madigan, Cullerton, Radogno and Durkin should be able to work something out in just a few conversations.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 11:38 am
Here’s an idea…why not let Lightford invest everything she has in a small business, spend every waking hour making it work,and then pay HER employees over $11/hr?

Anyone know if she or her family own any businesses, especially those that have some minimum wage workers? Are THEY paying over $11 per hour to ALL their employees?

BTW, where is CPS going to get the money to give this raise to all the patronage workers they keep on the payroll at the minimum in janitorial and food services? Where will Lightford suggest the State finding cuts to make up the difference to schools and municipalities, since this unexpected cost increase will be TOTALLY her and the GAs reponsibility? I suspect that when the “Honorable” Ms Lightford has to make sacrifices for this increase, she’ll find a way to avoid it. Any bets on that?

Comment by Arizona Bob Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 12:47 pm
To me a minimum wage increase is a no brainer. But then again I’m not one of those dopes out there with the moronic mantra that “minimum wage jobs aren’t supposed to be used to support a family.” I don’t think it’s too much to ask that somebody working be able to afford a basic standard of living. I’ve not seen any numbers but I would also suspect that an increase in the minimum wage might also have a positive effect on government assistance payments (i.e. they would go down).

By the way @Coffee Cup, it’s LIGHTFORD. I know you were just probably trying to be cute. I’d try again if I were you. Dope.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 1:06 pm
Put a “student and retired senior rate” in there and you might get me on this one. There’s just too much of Illinois that’s not Chicago that competes with 5 other states. And every one of those guys and gals south of I-80 know it.

Comment by A guy... Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 2:25 pm
Get out of Chicago and you will easily find thousands of small companies that pay slightly above minimum wage. Without those wages those companies will be gone. What do you think many local retail and small manufacturing jobs in Vienna, Oblong, Pittsfield, and Beardstown pay?

Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 3:34 pm
Guy, AB, FKA, why don’t you all crawl up your own dumb asses, anyway?

You’ve got no game., but you have no problem being stupid shills.
,
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you’re all good churchgoing people.

But give me a shout. Tell me why Bruce or Griff are worth a bent dick when it comes moving things forward.N

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 4:46 pm
Forgive me, what I meant to say is why are Bruce and Griff worth a bent dick when it all comes down to it?

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 4:50 pm
As someone who is making $9.25/hr, I worry that either me or one of my co-workers will end up losing a job to pay for this. I would rather make $9.25 than $0.00. For all of you that think raising the min wage it great, put yourselves in my shoes. Just let the free market determine the wages.

Comment by sloman2001 Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 5:17 pm
Anyone wants to tell me how Griff and Rauner made their billions honestly in one generation, I’m all ears.

Especially Griff. That dude got hit in the head, hard.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 5:18 pm
In January we will have a new Republican governor who is not a friend of workers. So the time to pass a $10 dollar minimum wage is now!

Comment by Enviro Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 5:19 pm
Sloman, no respect.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 5:33 pm
Wordslinger, wherever you are, it appears your computer has been hacked or someone is impersonating you on here.

The real wordslinger typically raises the level of discourse and offers something more than insults, profanity or spewing inane, vitriolic banter. But the person posting the junk on various threads since 4pm? Not today. Not by a long shot.

May the real wordslinger return soon, and may whomever is impersonating him take their meds or put the bottle down for a few hours before posting such juvenile comments again.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 6:33 pm
And perhaps the wordslinger impostor can explain to all of us how he justifies the actions of Governor Quinn and company when delaying a vote on this issue?

For someone so profanely riled up about raising the minimum wage and pointing out the speck in your neighbor’s eye, you sure miss the log in your own.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 6:46 pm
Wordslinger, that was an intelligent and thoughtful response.

Comment by sloman2001 Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 9:53 pm
Lightford and her ilk obviously have no idea what it’s like to actually run a business. This is going to cost 5 or 6 jobs at my modest company if it is enacted. But liberals don’t care—it only means more people are entirely dependent on the government.

Comment by Neglected stepchild Thursday, Nov 20, 14 @ 10:24 pm
== This is going to cost 5 or 6 jobs at my modest company if it is enacted. ==

Then your business isn’t very well operated in the first place

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Nov 21, 14 @ 7:54 am