Gov Pritzker on IL House floor after minimum wage hike vote | Chicago Tribune photo
SPRINGFIELD— As soon as Tuesday, Gov. JB Pritzker will sign a bill that passed the Illinois General Assembly with backing of Illinois Democrats that will have businesses pay their employees the highest minimum wage in the nation in 2025.
Thursday, the Illinois House passed SB 1, sending to the new governor a bill he is eagerly anticipating which forces businesses from one end of the Illinois to the other to pay a $15 per hour for entry-level jobs.
Governor Pritzker was delighted to hear the news, and joined the House members on the floor during the discussion.
"Today is resounding victory for the 1.4 million Illinoisans who will soon get a hard-earned and well-deserved raise," said Gov. JB Pritzker. "After nearly a decade of delay, I applaud the House and Senate for passing a living wage with the fierce urgency this moment requires.
"Phasing in the minimum wage over the next six years will put $6,300 a year into the pockets of nearly a quarter of our state’s workforce and billions of dollars into local economies in every corner of our state. Whether you’re a home healthcare provider in McLeansboro or a janitor in Rockford, hardworking men and women across Illinois deserve a raise and will get one. After campaigning on a promise to put Springfield back on the side of working families, I will proudly sign this historic legislation in the days to come."
With a super majority in the Illinois House, Democrats were able to allow three of their caucus to vote "no" – three that are in conservative-leaning districts: Rep. Jerry Costello, Terry Costa Howard and Edly-Allen. The other 44 "no" votes came from the Illinois Republican House Caucus.
The minimum wage hike will negatively affect business owners, they told the lawmakers, only to fall on deaf ears.
State Representative Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) said, “The lack of discussion and negotiation on this extremely dramatic change in policy is concerning. This is not a bipartisan piece of legislation, yet the effects of this proposal will impact small businesses and families in the entire state. For businesses that are already struggling to stay in Illinois, this increase will be detrimental to the cost of doing business. Some employees will benefit from this change, but more would be hurt, which is why I could not in good faith support this bill. Expect businesses to either close their doors altogether, cut employee hours, and/or find ways to automate—all of which would be detrimental to those who depend on these jobs. The best way to improve the livelihoods of all Illinoisans is to encourage a growing Illinois economy."
After the vote, State Representative Steve Reick (R-Woodstock) said, “In spite of promises made by the new administration that we will enjoy bipartisanship and cooperation in the 101st General Assembly, today the majority party chose to fulfill a political campaign promise at the expense of job creators and taxpayers across Illinois. In a state where policy decisions move like molasses, this minimum wage bill shot like a rocket through the Senate and House, with no regard for legitimate issues brought forward at the committee level.”
The manuever could cost jobs of disabled in DuPage County. State Representative Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) said, “In my community I have a social services agency called Little Friends, which operates Spectrum Services in Downers Grove, an organization that provides jobs to adults with intellectual disabilities. The approved wording of this bill puts their ability to provide meaningful jobs to disabled adults in real jeopardy. Nearly 175 adults with intellectual disabilities may soon be out of a job because the bill sponsor refused to slow down the process and respond to legitimate concerns that were brought to his attention yesterday during the committee hearing. Had we taken the time to address serious issues about the wording of this bill, Spectrum Services might not be facing the real possibility of closing their doors. Instead, it was clearly more important to hand the Governor a minimum wage bill he could tout during next week’s budget address. Our vulnerable populations deserve better.”
This action violates the Illinois constitution. Notice how the demoncrats deceived by changing the $15 from a living wage to a minimum wage.
The crap for brains commiecrats aren’t satisfied with pushing the state of Illinois to the brink of bankruptcy, now the incompetent democrat socialist scum wants to bankrupt businesses by mandating a $15/hr wage. Only an oppressive gov’t like a socialist state thinks they have the right to make business decisions for business owners.
This so called minimum wage mandate is nothing but another business tax, and it dang sure won’t help Illinois business.
Hey state legislature, where in the Illinois constitution does it grant you the power to make business decisions for Illinois business owners? Hey state legislature why do you entice illegal aliens to come to Illinois which drives down wages, you know that supply and demand thing. Hey state legislature, why does your abject incompetence and financial failure of state gov’t qualify you to tell business owners how to run their businesses? How can a state legislature tell businesses what they must pay employees when the state of Illinois is eight BILLION dollars behind on their bills to vendors/business owners? Hey state legislature, how can you tell businesses what wages they must pay, when the irresponsible and incompetent, overtaxing and over-regulating state govt has run up an unfunded debt that Moody’s said is the true estimate of Illinois’ unfunded state pension liability of $234 BILLION dollars? Hey worthless state legislature, how can you tell business owners what wage they must pay when your business & job unfriendly policies drive businesses and jobs out of the state. Not to mention the state population in 2018 dropped another 45,000 people. Hey state legislature, how can you justify telling businesses what wage they must pay. According to a recent report by Moody’s Investors Service, Illinois’ unfunded pension liabilities equaled 601% of the total state revenues in 2017, a U.S. record. The state’s financial mismanagement makes it impossible to accept the socialist state legislature proposed minimum wage increase serious. The state legislature is the worst enemy we Illinois citizens have. We have the God given right to self-government and freedom from dictatorial rule.
The corrupt democrat controlled state legislature acts like they are the savior of the Illinois worker, but the reality is they are the worst enemy Illinois workers have.
Illinois State Government is not the servant of the people but their tyrannical master and dictator.
Time for a new Illinois, demand your state rep co-sponsor HR 101
Fight for freedom from tyranny!
Ah, J.B. is doing what I wanted: Punching the accelerator as Illinois drives off a fiscal cliff.
Soon it will all be over boys and girls. How long can the Trump economy hold off the next recession? We know it will be over when anyone else takes office so, give it a bit for the money to dry up after a recession hits, but Illinois maximum lifespan is about 7 years and likely lifespan in 3-5 years.
Awesome. Keep punching that accelerator J.B. I know some teachers I want to see crying when their pension millions evaporate before their eyes.
I see my Madigan bought and paid for representative is on the yeas list.
Toilet-tax trained Pritzker was flushed with victory and said “Today is resounding victory for the 1.4 million Illinoisans…” but failed to mention it was a resounding defeat for 11.2 million tax-soaked Illinoisans.
Will Pritzker make this his personal song as more Illinoisans leave? Demoncrats always blame US, the citizens!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbfMlk1PwGU
Democrats think that raising minimum wage will increase sales and income tax revenue. But they don’t realize it will also increase payroll taxes and costs to business, especially small businesses that operate on small margins. Consumers are already hit by high taxes and high interest rates on parent student debt. As usual, this will backfire on democrats and maybe wise up people on the disadvantages of the welfare state that says burger flipping is a career. It will also hurt the most unskilled workers who will be priced out of the market. Students and part time workers will also be hurt. Democrats think it is immoral for the poor to work for a living. This will help manufacture more poor, ignorant and violent people. Viva the welfare State!
J.B. has nothing to worry about if the reports are true that most of his money is stashed offshore.
Seriously, Pritzker may soon become the Governor Jon Corzine of Illinois politics.
If the democraps get away with this, they will have laid the foundation for a socialist-Communism Illinois gov’t.
The democraps have no lawful authority to deny business owners the freedom to run their business and make themselves business partners of every business in the state. The Illinois state constitution states gov’t is supposed to “secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to ourselves and our posterity”
Just how is it securing the blessings of freedom by way of this oppressive Marxist action?
Have you had enough of this power abuse from the corrupt democrat controlled state gov’t? Then insist your state rep co-sponsor HR 101, the CHICAGO-51ST STATE resolution.