State Representative Joe Sosnowski, R-Rockford, issued the following statement today following final passage of legislation to raise Illinois’ minimum wage to $15 per hour by January 1, 2025:
“This minimum wage increase will cost the state over $1 billion because current employee contracts will go up as a result. This increase will also drive up costs to local schools, universities, non-profits, park districts, day care centers and many others. All of these costs will be passed along to local taxpayers, many in the form of higher property taxes. Rushing through a minimum wage increase in this manner will drive businesses from Illinois, especially in communities close to the state line.”
The legislation, Senate Bill 1, now goes to Governor Pritzker to be signed into law. Illinois’ minimum wage will go up to $9.25 per hour on January 1, 2020 before increasing to $10 per hour on July 1, 2020 and increasing $1 on January 1 of each year thereafter until reaching $15 in 2025.