Ill. Gov. Rauner Suggests $10 Minimum Wage Increase, Ill. Sen. Passes $11 Increase

Deborah Bayliss | As of Thursday, February 12, 2015

During his first State-of-the-State address last Wednesday, Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner announced his plan to raise the state’s minimum wage to $10 an-hour over the next seven years, drawing gasps and comments from Illinois law makers. The following day, the Ill. House passed Sen. Bill 11, which increases the state’s minimum wage incrementally to $11 an hour.

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Ill. Gov. Bruce Rauner.

“Our Economic Growth and Jobs Package increase the minimum wage to $10 an hour over the next 7 years,” Rauner said during his address. “Raising the minimum wage in conjunction with improving the overall jobs climate, will make Illinois more competitive and create a booming economy while increasing incomes for hardworking Illinoisans.”

Shortly after Gov. Rauner’s speech, Illinois legislators spoke out.

The Chicago Citizen Newspaper spoke with Ill. State Sen., Kimberly Lightford (Dist.-4th), Assistant Majority Leader, and sponsor of Senate Bill 11 which passed the Ill. Sen. on Thursday, a day after Rauner’s suggested $10 an-hour increase. Senate Bill 11 raises the minimum wage in Illinois from $8.25 to $9 per hour on July 1 and incrementally by 50 cents a year until 2019, ultimately leading to a new $11 per hour minimum wage.

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Ill. Senator, Kimberly Lightford (Dist.-4th)

Lightford said she’s been working on Sen. Bill 11 for the past three years and had run into various issues with it.

“I commend Gov. Rauner for now saying he supports a minimum wage increase but his proposed increase is not based on any pending legislation that increases the minimum wage to $10 an hour over the next seven years and is not enough to change the financial status of those families living on the current $8.25 an hour minimum wage,” Lightford said. “He’s not speaking about any legislation, that’s his opinion. Illinois families are struggling now. They can’t afford Gov. Rauner’s baby-step plan. I understand that some small businesses are struggling, too, which is why my plan does have a reasonable phase-in process.”  

The Chicago City Council in Dec., voted to gradually increase the minimum wage to $13 an hour by 2019. Chicago’s wage increase ordinance will be grandfathered in and will remain at the $13 increase by 2019 even if the state passes a lower minimum wage rate. Other Illinois cities that pass higher increases will also be grandfathered in if those ordinances are passed before Sen. Bill 11 legislation currently pending in the Illinois House, which prohibits municipalities from setting a higher wage than the state.

“I’m calling on the Speaker of the House (Michael Madigan) to call the bill right away so that we can move this issue forward. Sixty-seven percent of the voting population, 83 out of 102 counties, state- wide, are in favor of it according to the Nov. election ballot question.”

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel applauded the Illinois State Senate’s passage of legislation that would raise the state’s minimum wage to $11 and maintain the Mayor’s commitment to raise Chicago’s minimum wage to $13 by 2019.

A single parent working a full-time minimum wage job qualifies for Food Stamps, Medicaid and often housing assistance. Additionally, many minimum-wage workers are forced to work other part-time jobs to make ends meet.  

“The minimum wage should be a living wage,” Lightford said. “If you work full-time, you shouldn’t have to rely on government support to put food on your family’s table or a roof over your head. When you take the cost of living into account, 50 years ago, the minimum wage was worth a lot more, allowing workers to earn a living wage that kept their families financially independent and functioning as part of the Illinois economy.”

The legislation also institutes a tax credit for businesses with fewer than 50 employees that allow three years to adjust to the higher wage.

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