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* The minimum wage publicity push is just beginning, so get used to it. Expect to hear lots more about it as the weeks click by. Raising the minimum polls sky high and, of course, there’s that non-binding referendum this November which is designed to bolster turnout.
The general rule of thumb I use is that when my commenters start getting sick of discussing an issue, then it’s just barely starting to penetrate into the rest of the state. So, yeah, you’re sick of hearing that Rauner is rich. Well, most people don’t really know that yet. So, they have to keep pounding and pounding until the message finally burns in. Same with the Democrats’ support for the minimum wage. Like I said above, get used to it.
From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today will visit with local residents in communities across Illinois to talk about the importance of raising the minimum wage. The Governor will visit local cafes and fast food restaurants in Kankakee, Champaign, Decatur, Peoria, Galesburg and Rock Falls, to visit with workers and talk about their experiences.
The Governor is taking the minimum wage challenge this week, living off $79, the average amount someone working full time on the minimum wage in Illinois earns per week after housing costs, transportation and taxes. This budget will cover Governor Quinn’s food and living expenses from Sunday, Aug. 31 through Saturday, Sept. 6.
“Those who think that this challenge is a gimmick should spend one day in a minimum wage workers’ shoes,” Governor Quinn said. “Over the past few days I’ve only experienced a small taste of what it’s like to live on minimum wage. Our workers are making painful choices every day. I couldn’t even buy my niece a birthday card - can you imagine what it’s like for a family getting by on minimum wage come Christmas time?”
Raising the minimum wage in Illinois is part of the Governor’s commitment to drive economic growth, alleviate poverty and ensure all workers are treated fairly. Governor Quinn has a plan to raise the minimum wage in Illinois to at least $10 an hour. By increasing the Illinois minimum wage to $10 an hour, a half-million Illinois consumers will make an extra $4,800 a year and much of that extra income will be spent at local businesses on food, clothing and furniture, providing a strong boost to the local economy.
Nearly two-thirds of small-business owners support raising the federal minimum wage because they believe it will help the economy and, in turn, enable them to hire more workers, according to a poll conducted by the Small Business Majority. Leaders from large companies such as Costco, Starbucks and Stride Rite also have supported increasing the minimum wage as a way to reduce employee turnover and improve workers’ productivity.
* From the mayor’s office…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel today signed an Executive Order requiring City contractors and subcontractors to pay employees a minimum wage of $13 per hour for contracts advertised after October 1, 2014. The hourly wage will be indexed to inflation and increase proportionally on a yearly basis thereafter.
“A higher minimum wage is essential to putting a financial floor beneath our hard-working families,” Mayor Emanuel said. “With this Executive action, we’ll help ensure that nobody who is contracted to do work with the City of Chicago will ever have to raise their children in poverty.”
The Executive Order is the first step taken by the City to ensure that all employees contracted with the City of Chicago are provided with sufficient wages for a shot at the middle class. It applies to all service contracts, including construction contracts, advertised after October 1, 2014.
“We made the decision long ago to pay our employees a decent wage that enables them to support their families,” said Deborah Sawyer, President and CEO, Environmental Design International. “Raising the minimum wage is not only good for my employees, but helps reduce worker turnover and improves workplace morale – which helps my bottom line as a small business owner.”
Approximately 1,000 contracted employees will benefit from this Executive Order. These workers are typically employed as landscapers, maintenance workers, security officers, concessionaires, and in custodial services.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 11:58 am
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Because Rahm is the perfect spokesperson for those earning minimum wage.
He relates.
What a nauseating joke.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:02 pm
===He relates. What a nauseating joke.===
What do you expect him to do? Be like Rauner? His constituent base is slightly different if you haven’t noticed.
Comment by Been There Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:08 pm
All that driving around! Where is Quinn going to find the money to fill the gas tank based on his minimum wage budget?
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:08 pm
Raising the minimum wage reduces turnover? Who knew?
Comment by A guy... Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:15 pm
“Those who think this challenge is a gimmick…”
Good rule of thumb: don’t frame your message with your opponent’s attack.
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:16 pm
Is it really fair that Quinn’s niece didn’t get a birthday card this year from Uncle Pat because Uncle Pat was taking the Minimum Wage Gimmick “Challenge”? Or did she even notice? Sigh… If you want to learn what it’s like to be poor, do what Mayor Jane did and move into the projects. Yes, that was a stunt, too, but at least it lasted longer than a week. Sheesh.
Comment by Commander Norton Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:17 pm
== His constituent base is slightly different ==
Quite different. Rahm also deserves credit for taking action to raise the minimum wage instead of just issuing press releases about how much he wants to raise the minimum wage.
The nauseating part is the pretense that this is anything more than pandering with his own election approaching in February. Raise the minimum wage by executive order and enjoy the praise you receive for doing so. But do not pretend you did this out of great concern for those living in poverty. Especially after some of his actions as Mayor caused so much harm to those same people.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:23 pm
I can’t believe voters are so uninformed or dumb to the point that they don’t know the the legislature and Governor could have passed the minimum wage legislation at any time during the year.
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:24 pm
If Quinn would stay home and cook his own meals instead of traveling around the state eating out he would eat better.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:26 pm
==Nearly two-thirds of small-business owners support raising the federal minimum wage ==
He conveniently left off the part where most support it if paired with incentives and savings for the business owners. While he’s on this gimmicks kick, why doesn’t he spend a payroll period trying to run a business, meet expenses, and payroll, then see how easy it is to just raise payroll. Of course, you’d have to find a business willing to trust Pat Quinn with their books, which would be tough to impossible to find.
Comment by Anonymoiis Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:33 pm
Incumbents running for reelection need good excuses for not doing what it is they propose to be done. In this case especially.
Who kept Pat Quinn from raising the minimum wage? Pat Quinn!
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:39 pm
Will someone ask the question as to how many jobs are affected by Rahm’s proclamation?
I suspect that that the number of private contractor jobs paying minimum wage is small. Furthermore, when the increased costs are passed on to the city taxpayers, the city will go on another tax raising cycle. This will simply drain whatever gain the workers made.
Cynical political theater. Who will buy this weak story?
Comment by plutocrat03 Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:39 pm
plutocrat03, read the press release. 1,000.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:40 pm
==All that driving around! Where is Quinn going to find the money to fill the gas tank based on his minimum wage budget?==
I guess he’s saying people on minimum wage can afford long roadtrips and eating out every night?
Comment by Anonymoiis Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:41 pm
==Who kept Pat Quinn from raising the minimum wage? Pat Quinn!==
Which is why we need to elect Pat Quinn so he can fight for taxpayers to clean up the mess made by Pat Quinn
Comment by Anonymoiis Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:43 pm
The last time Rahm was earning minimum wage he had all ten fingers.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:43 pm
I’m finding the fake “minimum wage” campaign desperate, patronizing, and ineffective. Dumbing down politics essentially creates white noise.
Comment by Black Ivy Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:48 pm
===I can’t believe voters are so uninformed or dumb to the point that they don’t know the the legislature and Governor could have passed the minimum wage legislation at any time during the year.===
I’ve heard this line of attack before, and I suppose those who make it seem to think that makes a difference. The minimum wage is going to get raised very soon, and raising it is very popular. Yes, they didn’t do it last year, and … your point is what? That they’re pandering? … OK. As long as a good thing gets done, pander away.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:50 pm
From the press release sounds like Quinn has the formula for solving Illinois’ economic woes. Stop wasting time, Pat. Get a wage increase bill passed and sign it ASAP. Oops, no way till after the election. Darn.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 12:56 pm
47, lol!
Maybe PQ is doing this in hope of a big stack of free fast food he can either chow down on today or stuff in Betsy to reheat the next few days.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 1:02 pm
Is the minimum wage stuff Quinn and Emanuel are doing political? Sure, why not? Look at what Republicans have been doing with keeping their voters ginned up, such as suing Obama, trying to repeal/defund/delay Obamacare, Benghazi, etc.
I’m of the opinion that it’s good politics, because it would put more money into workers’ pockets.
I’m not sure that I can compare Obama’s executive order to Emanuel’s. I think Chicago will vote to raise the minimum wage, whereas Congress will not vote to raise the national minimum wage, or it would be defeated in the House.
Obama had no choice other than to raise the wage for federal workers via executive order (the horrible tyrant!!).
Now that 13 states have raised their minimum wages this year and have seen faster job growth, what’s our excuse?
“I can’t believe voters are so uninformed or dumb to the point that they don’t know the the legislature and Governor could have passed the minimum wage legislation at any time during the year.”
If you think it’s that easy you try doing Madigan’s job.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 1:43 pm
Under Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois minimum wage workers saw a 25 cent increase per hour. With that record of accomplishment, Pat Quinn will have the minimum wage raised to $10 an hour by the year 2042.
Yet he doesn’t seem to run on this!
WOOOOOHOOOOO!
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 2:39 pm
If we all agree to live and raise a family on $79 per week, we’ll get the cost of a loaf of bread down to a nickel in no time.
Comment by A guy... Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 3:08 pm
Why only Chicago minimum wages are being raised to $13 an hour and not every one in illinois? Every one in illinois is living in poverty not just Chicago.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 6:22 pm
$10.65 for illinois is nothing we need at least $13 an hour like Chicago.
Comment by why Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 6:31 pm
I saw Pat Quinn on TV tonight eating a hamburger from the $1 menu at a Peoria McDonald’s, in keeping with his “living on the minimum wage” stunt. One station even led their broadcast with it.
Can you imagine if Bruce Rauner tries eating in a fast food restaurant during this campaign? I can only guess what would be on/in his burger.
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 6:43 pm
For all of those who think that Quinn and the GA could have passed a min wage increase last session, I’d like to see some of ya’ll’s roll calls that showed 60 and 30 votes in the House and Senate for raising the minimum wage last spring.
Comment by AlabamaShake Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 6:54 pm
crickets from PublicServant and Grandson
Comment by Wally Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 7:41 pm
To PublicServant,Grandson,Alabama:
I’ve been looking and I didn’t see a 3rd reading vote on any of the bills. My point being is that the issue is a fraud…
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Sep 3, 14 @ 11:25 pm