Blagojevich wants minimum wage increase during veto session
Illinois minimum wage earners would get increases pegged to inflation every year, under proposed legislation announced Saturday by Gov. Blagojevich and Mayor Daley.
Blagojevich, joined by Daley, said at a news conference that he would have the legislation introduced during the November legislative veto session in Springfield to raise the minimum wage by $1, to $7.50 an hour, and have annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index.
The governor said he was willing to hold state lawmakers through the holidays, if necessary, to pass the proposal. Daley predicted an easier time passing the wage increase in the legislature this time around. "I think it's going to be easier with his re-election," the mayor said, referring to Blagojevich.
(M. Spencer Green/AP)
The increases help about 500,000 Illinois residents, according to the governor's office. Four other states have tied minimum wage increases to inflation.
"The minimum wage was raised in 2003, but costs have continued to rise," Blagojevich said.
His lieutenant governor, Pat Quinn added: "It's wrong, it's just plain wrong for people who work 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year to live in poverty."
The governor blasted his Republican opponent, Judy Baar Topinka, for opposing the increase.
Topinka campaign spokesman John McGovern said Topinka does support a wage increase, but at the national level, instead.
That way there's a level-playing field, and Illinois businesses won't lose jobs across state lines to companies that can pay less.