SPRINGFIELD — House lawmakers today advanced a proposal backed by House Speaker Michael Madigan that would put an advisory referendum on the November ballot asking voters whether the state’s minimum wage should be increased to $10 an hour.
The move would help drive Democratic voters to the polls, but also signals lawmakers are unlikely to vote to raise the minimum wage, as pushed by Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, before the May 31 adjournment deadline. The measure passed a House committee 12-7 along party lines, with Republicans opposed.
“This is an opportunity for the voters of Illinois to weigh in on this very important issue,” Madigan said. “Speaking to a number of members of the House, it became clear there were differences of opinion as to how to address this question, I believe the issue deserves a statewide discussion… It’s clear we need to be doing more to reduce economic equality.”
Both Quinn and President Barack Obama have called for increases in the minimum wage. It’s an issue that provides a stark contrast for a re-election-seeking Quinn and other Democrats this fall as they get behind helping low-income workers while Republican Party standard-bearer, the wealthy equity investor Bruce Rauner, has stumbled on the topic.
A big vote statewide in favor of the increasing the state’s current $8.25-an-hour rate also could stiffen the backbones of lawmakers hearing from business opponents who argue the price tag is too high and would hurt job growth.
“I personally think this is anti-buisness,” said Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, who called the measure a “job killer.”
Madigan acknowledged a minimum wage hike would raise costs for both public and private employers, but said he is “here to raise up” workers struggling to make ends meet.
“I’m not here for employers, I’m here for workers… who are up against it and want the government to give them a little help in this United States of America,” Madigan said.
Under the measure, voters could voice their opinion on whether the minimum wage in Illinois for adults over the age of 18 should be raised to $10 an hour by Jan. 1. With the first-of-the-year trigger date, the referendum could place the matter on the legislative agenda in the post-election fall veto session.
Rauner has championed a binding referendum to place term limits on the ballot to drive conserative voters to the polls. The effort is being challenged in courts.
The minimum wage issue has been a standard push by Democrats in Illinois and nationally.
Democrats have pointed out that being poor is not an issue that breaks along party lines, but the fight this time can underscore divisions with Rauner. During the Republican primary, the Democrat-funded American Bridge super PAC circulated video of Rauner saying he was “adamantly” against raising the minimum wage in Illinois.
Facing a firestorm of criticism from that remark and another in which Rauner suggested the state should roll back its $8.25-an-hour rate by $1 to match the federal rate, Rauner later said he supports an increase in the federal minimum wage. If that doesn’t happen in Washington, Rauner said Illinois should raise its minimum wage as long as pro-business reforms are enacted in tandem.
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