SPRINGFIELD - Illinois' minimum wage will remain at $8.25 per hour on January 1, 2015 - above the nation's average. However, the state's income tax will fall from 5 to 3.75 percent - placing more funds in the hands of families on tight budgets.
California's minimum wage will remain at $9.00 per hour and Connecticut's will rise to $9.15. Washington D.C. will remain at $9.50 per hour, while Massachusetts' will increase from $8.00 per hour to $9.00 per hour. New Jersey will hit $8.38 an hour and New York will hike 75 cents to $8.75 an hour.
Oregon will be at $9.25, Rhode Island at $9.00 and South Dakota will increase $1.25 per hour from $7.25. Vermont will be at $9.15, Washington state will rise to the nation's highest minimum wage at $9.47.
Illinois and 11 other states will be at $8.25 above, and the other 38 states will be below or equal to Illinois' minimum wage. States like Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee still do not have minimum wage mandates.
