Politics & Government
Illinois Republicans Balk and Bark and Democrats' Minimum Wage Bill
That's just one of several financial issues getting attention in the last week as the new governor gets down to business.
Illinois State Senate Democrats passed a bill on Feb. 5 to increase the minimum wage to $11 by 2019. Republicans opposed the measure, saying it was hasty and its sponsors should have worked with Gov. Bruce Rauner on the matter. The bill now moves to the House.
The measure would raise the minimum hourly rate from its current $8.25 to $9 on July 1 and then add 50 cents per year each year until it hits $11 on July 1, 2019.
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It also includes a per-employee small-business tax credit for businesses with as many as 50 employees. The allowable credit varies by employee pay and is capped at a maximum of $1,500 per employee.
The day before, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner included in his first State of the State address a proposal to increase the minimum wage to $10 over seven years.
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“The problem with this bill is that it’s going to kill jobs for those most in need of those jobs, namely teenagers and particularly minority teenagers,” State Sen. Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove, said. “Illinois has gained a reputation for being very anti-business. This bill will help put one more nail in that coffin.”
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