Wilmette Trustees Reject Higher Minimum Wage, Sick Leave

WILMETTE, IL — With just 4 days to go before Cook County ordinances take effect mandating paid sick leave and an increase to the minimum hourly wage for some workers, the Wilmette Village Board voted to opt out of the new rules Tuesday. At a crowded meeting that extended past midnight, the board voted 6-1 against raising the minimum wage and 5-2 against the earned sick leave ordinance, the Daily North Shore reported.

Wilmette joins more than 80 other suburban municipalities who have voted to exempt local private sector employers from being compelled to offer a minimum wage of $10, which would rise annually to $13 in 2020 before being tied to inflation, and paid sick leave for their workers. According to DNS, the opt out ordinance was brought to a vote at the suggestion of the Wilmette/Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce.

Several of Wilmette's trustees said they supported a higher minimum wage in theory or statewide but were afraid of losing business to other suburbs if they voted to raise wages in the affluent village, which has an average household income of more than $200,000. DNS reported the sole dissenter on both votes was Trustee Joel Kurzman, who was joined by Steve Leonard in supporting the sick leave ordinance.

"This issue is about people," Kurzman said. "The downtown needs to be built on a foundation that is not low wages."