Revving up to empower Illinois’ citizens and strengthen his chances for reelection, Gov. Pat Quinn relentlessly champions to increase the state minimum wage to at least $10 an hour over three years.
Illinois’ current minimum wage is $8.25 and was last increased in 2010 by 25 cents. Federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but state legislatures control each state’s minimum wage rates and laws, hence the bill’s difficulty in garnering complete support from Republicans and business lobbyists. Away from the Senate floor, the issue has real implications for Illinois citizens.
Schaumburg native and DePaul junior and PRAD major Ryan Wenzel works both in his hometown and the city and knows the trials of being a student on minimum wage.
“No matter where you live, I think it presents a challenge to use earnings accumulated through minimum wage to support yourself in college,” Wenzel said. “My money definitely lasts longer in Schaumburg, just because at that point I’m not really paying for my own food.”
Wenzel also believes it’s time for pay to match the work laborers regularly put in.
“I think the minimum wage raise will help so many workers whose labor certainly exceeds the minimal pay they’re currently receiving,” Wenzel said. “I feel like the work I do deserves more than minimum wage now, as do most people I think. I mean, if my supervisor asks me to stay like a half-hour later, I put it in perspective and think “‘What? For a little over four extra dollars?'”
Gov. Quinn would agree. In his Jan. 2014 State of the State Address, he mentioned the importance of raising the minimum wage.
“Our minimum wage workers are doing hard work,” Quinn said. “They’re putting in long hours.”
Yet in too many instances, they are living in poverty. That’s not right. That’s not an Illinois value. And that’s not a fair shake. This is all about dignity and decency.”
Caitlin Callahan, a California native and senior psychology major at Trinity International University in Deerfield, says California and Illinois’ minimum wage are similar with only a 25 cent increase in Illinois. Callahan believes that it is manageable.
“Honestly, I think I could find a way to live on just my minimum wage job,” she said. “It wouldn’t be fun and there would be a lot of sacrifices I would have to make, but that doesn’t mean I need to be paid more.”
According to the United States Department of Labor website, Washington State has the highest minimum wage at $9.32 an hour while Georgia and Wyoming share the lowest minimum wage at $5.15. Five states and the American Samoa do not have minimum wage laws.
Callahan thinks the idea of the increase is good in principle but does not find it to be very practical. Her views reflect those of worried Republicans in the Senate. They believe the increase will hamper job growth and harm rather than help Illinois’ economy.
“I also think it could potentially hurt employees and job opportunities,” Callahan said. “Businesses will hire fewer people and may even decide to let a few employees go because they aren’t generating the revenue to pay for the new minimum wage.”
Gov. Quinn said during his address that according to the Federal Reserve, workers will spend an additional $2,800 in their communities for every dollar minimum wage is increased.
Junior Mariah Scott views the increase in the same light, but also pointed out that depending on the budget for this plan may actually dig the state deeper into debt, a concern echoed by many opponents.
As the debate over the bill rages on between impassioned Gov. Quinn and concerned Republicans, Callahan questions what this temporary solution holds for the future.
“I think that there could be some good things that come out of a raise, but there could also be some highly unforeseen consequences,” Callahan said.