SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – To help lift working families out of poverty, state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, voted to raise Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 per hour.
“As workers are making less than a living wage, corporate bosses are continuing to rake in millions,” said Harper. “Working families should not have to struggle to have a roof over their heads or to put food on their tables, and they deserve an increase in their wage that reflects the dignity of their work.”
Harper voted to pass Senate Bill 1, which would raise the minimum wage in steps beginning in 2020 and reaching $15 per hour in 2025. This bill would result in a $5,000 rise in incomes for families in the Chicago area according to the Illinois Economic Policy Institute. Over half of the people receiving a raise will be women and over 40 percent will be black or Hispanic. The bill also includes a tax credit to help small businesses offset a portion of the wage increase. Harper’s support for the legislation will allow for Illinois’ working families to have more money in their pockets and to provide struggling families with economic justice.
“It is not fair that someone can work 40 hours a week plus overtime and still not be able to pay their basic living expenses simply because they don’t make a livable wage. The current minimum wage drives people deeper into debt and poverty that’s why voting for this increase in the minimum wage is so important,” Harper added. “Throughout our state and community, people are working hard to build better lives and stronger communities, but we can’t accomplish these goals without a fair minimum wage.”
