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Today’s number: 7 years

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Suburban Cook County is poised to join Chicago in adopting a $13 hourly minimum wage, a move critics say is better left to the state but proponents contend is a response to the state’s inaction.

The Cook County Board of Commissioners is expected to pass an ordinance Wednesday that would gradually raise the minimum wage to $13 by July 2020, following its approval by the board’s legislative and intergovernmental affairs committee Tuesday. […]

Commissioner Larry Suffredin, D-Evanston, lead sponsor of the proposal, said the goal is for the state to pass a minimum wage law, but a proposal put forth by Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, has languished since 2009. The intention is to encourage the state to move forward.

And almost exactly two years ago, Illinois voters overwhelmingly supported a non-binding referendum to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour.

Since then? House Democratic crickets.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:11 am

Comments

Not in the Senate. Problem is the House.

Comment by Sideline watcher Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:14 am
It is election time - the season of giving.

Comment by Lech W Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:18 am
If you’ve seen “Hamilton,” you’ll know that this can be settled easily with a duel.

Comment by Dome Gnome Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:20 am
How are social service providers that are locked into inflexible contracts with state agencies supposed to pay for the mandates? Bake sales?

Comment by Mandate Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:27 am
>Since then? Democratic crickets.

And here I thought the crickets were for the millionaire’s tax.

Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:29 am
Sideline watcher is right.

One of the first things the Senate did this GA is pass Lightford’s bill. The Speaker hasn’t called it. Give credit (or blame) to IRMA.

Comment by S-T Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:32 am
The minimum wage is terrible public policy. But lets not let economics get in the way!

EITC expansion MUCH better.

Comment by John Rawls Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:43 am
Yes John Rawls, trickle down is so much better.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 11:50 am
CC Commissioners always come up with stuff to get their names in the news. This is a state issue. The beat goes on……

Comment by Why Man Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:00 pm
“Better left to the state” doesn’t apply to much anymore.

Comment by Sir Reel Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:02 pm
Part of the problem is the difference in costs in different parts of the State. $13 an hour is not the same in Paxton and Naperville.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:23 pm
Come on Rich, the referendum meant dog years.

Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:31 pm
Rich -

Democrats went crickets for two reasons:

1) Rauner wants to hitch his turn around agenda to minimum wage, it was his initial plan;

2) Despite local ballot success, Democrats are hearing from a lot of constituents in downstate Illinois who don’t want the hike, regardless of the vote…in border counties like Winnebago, Quad cities, Metro-East, the delta, Vermilion, retailers argue they will just move shop across the state line.

Many of those same counties are already struggling with higher than average unemployment.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:34 pm
Surely this is related to a last minute election strategy for suburban Cook races.

Comment by Not It Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 12:57 pm
Mandate - no because then they would have to get permits and buy special equipment and incorporate their baking business(es) as LLCs.

We all know that MJM’s “super majority” is anything but - but on this issue they should have no problem overriding a Rauner veto. Instead they sit on their hands and let it slide.

My guess is that the if the GOP makes decent gains in the House on November 8th then the House will take up something. Just a guess but it would make sense.

Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 1:37 pm
I suspect the Democrats haven’t moved on the minimum wage bill is they are too busy working on another non-binding referendum for the 2018 election. The minimum wage referendum worked so well to drive voter turnout it appears to have caught the attention of some voters who cast their vote for Rauner.

For 2018 I recommend a referendum for statewide wifi, the kids love free wifi.

Comment by Jon Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 1:54 pm
Wasn’t there some unwillingness by state legislators to trump the minimum wage ordinance in chicago?

Comment by Levois Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 2:28 pm
=Illinois voters overwhelmingly supported a non-binding referendum to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour.=

Of course they did, since they didn’t know how much more they’d need to be taxed to pay for it, and how much more they’d have to pay at stores to fund it. It’s easy to be generous when you don’t know the consequences to your pocket book.

Comment by Illinois Bob Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:06 pm
** It’s easy to be generous when you don’t know the consequences to your pocket book. **

or when you’re spending other people’s money…

Comment by DGD Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:38 pm
Rauner will never sign a bill to raise the hourly minimum wage & Madigan knows it.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:50 pm
Cuts both ways Illinois Bob. Easy to be stingy when there is public aid to pick up the slack. Ask the Waltons.

Comment by LizPhairTax Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:50 pm
===& Madigan knows it===

True. But Madigan also knew that Rauner wouldn’t sign the AFSCME bill. How many times did they send that one to him?

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:50 pm
I will never understand why it should be set at a statewide level, let alone nationally when the cost of living is so different between area codes, let alone state borders.

Comment by Shemp Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 4:15 pm
==- Illinois Bob - Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 3:06 pm:==

Explain how we would be “taxed” by the minimum wage Bob?

Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 5:21 pm
Lol, of course they passed this silly law. And it will help further stifle retail and commerce in suburban cook. Just move to Lake or Dupage to get around it.

Comment by Ron Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 6:53 pm
“The minimum wage is terrible public policy. But lets not let economics get in the way!
EITC expansion MUCH better.”

This.

Comment by striketoo Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 8:31 pm
Unintended consequences of these things is the wife goes to cook county store, says prices are too high. She now shops at a store in dupage county. That means the store loses sales and cook county loses. How does the small incremental rise in costs get offset when the marginal shoppers bail out and find a alternative location to shop?

Comment by Bross Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:04 pm
They’re saving it for the legislation for the 2018 session.

Comment by TaxesBuyCivilization Wednesday, Oct 26, 16 @ 10:10 pm