1. Common Sense
People that work for a living should make enough money to provide for themselves and their family. No one should be working full-time and still not be able to make ends meet. Unfortunately, that is the current struggle of the minimum wage worker.
2. Inflation
If the minimum wage had risen with the cost of living over the past 40 years, it would be $10.39 today. With gas and food prices rising, minimum wage workers are making less than ever. Minimum wage earners in Illinois’ already have $2/hour less in purchasing power than a minimum wage earner in the late 1960s, and their ability to cover basic expenses will continue to decline.
3. Creates Jobs
According to a January 2012 report released by the Economic Policy Institute, the bill to raise the minimum wage- Senate Bill 68 (previously Senate Bill 1565), “would result in a net increase in economic activity of approximately $2.5 billion and would generate approximately 20,000 new jobs.” Furthermore, “a minimum-wage increase is one of the few budget-neutral job-creation strategies available to state governments struggling with budget shortfalls.” Raising the minimum wage would create jobs for Illinois residents, without costing the state one penny!
4. Corporate Tax Breaks
The State of Illinois just gave an $85 million tax break to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CME). The CME and CBOE are the derivatives traders that crashed our economy, yet they continue to receive bailouts while the lowest paid workers in Illinois can’t even get a small raise. Last year, CME alone made over $900 million in profits! These tax breaks to big corporations cost our state $250 million, but failed to create any new jobs. Raising the minimum wage would create thousands of jobs and wouldn’t cost our state any money.
5. Families Depend On It
The increase in Illinois’ minimum wage will primarily benefit low-income families who depend on the earnings from minimum wage workers to make ends meet. Of the workers who will get this proposed raise, over 80% are age 20 or older, over half work full-time and another third work between 20 hours and full-time.
6. The Economy
If workers that live paycheck to paycheck make more money, they will have no choice but to spend it immediately at local businesses, which will stimulate the economy. Increasing consumer spending is key to economic growth.
7. Widespread Popularity
71% of Illinois voters support a proposal to raise the minimum wage in annual steps to $10.50 by the year 2013. Nearly 9 in 10 Democrats (88%), a strong majority of Independents (70%) and close to half of all Republicans (46%) support an increase in the minimum wage.
8. Equality For Tipped Workers
For tipped workers like waitresses, car wash attendants and nail salon workers, the minimum wage is even lower- just 60% of the full minimum wage, or $4.95 an hour. Workers should not have to depend on something as unreliable as tips to make ends meet. Senate Bill 1565 would raise the minimum wage for tipped workers from 60 % to 100%.
9. Most New Jobs Are Low-Wage
Analysis of the first seven months of job growth in 2010 found that 76 percent of jobs created were in low- to mid-wage industries. Americans that have been laid off are seeing that any new jobs they find pay significantly lower wages than their previous job. This means that more and more Americans are living in poverty and the wage gap is growing.
10. Benefits All Workers
Increasing the minimum wage raises the wage floor so that all workers make more. As the minimum wage goes up, pay scales rise to reflect the increase in value of all workers. Evidence shows that when the minimum wage is increased employers often raise wages for those earning above the minimum wage.
Sign one of our petitions to show you support raising the minimum wage in Illinois!
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Petition for Illinois Voters
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Petition for Faith Leaders
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Petition for Non-Profits
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Petition for Business Owners
Raising minimum wage in Illinois would benefit in very many ways especially to workers like myself who work 12 hours a day for only 8.25. It’s just not enough I’m trying to go to school and find a place of my own while paying for a car phone and then adding rent and then family costs on top of trying to go to school its just not enough no matter what anyone thinks. It’s not enough for any family at that rate not working is about the same u just lose less instead of losing a little. So all I’m asking is just for anyone and everyone that understands where I’m coming from just voice and try to get minimum wage raised we all need help.
no one should have to work for 8.25 thats not enough money to live off of and try to meet your bills and raise your family it,s horrible the the people in the senate and white house getting paid big money not to nothing but stale mating every thing that comes up i thought they were working for the people.
They forgot to mention the State of Illinois would also make more money paid in taxes.
Raise the Minimum Wage For Illinois, Minnesota, and the federal Minimum Wage. The greedy politicians are just mad it will be less money for them to steal.