Local businesses are not happy with Illinois lawmakers who may increase the minimum wage. The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce has joined other groups in the state that oppose raising the minimum wage to $15/hour, over four to six years.
President and CEO, Paul Rumler, says last week, the chamber surveyed members with locations in the Illinois Quad Cities.
More than 80% oppose the $15 hike, in part because it would require them to stop hiring people, relocate, rework their business plan, and/or go out of business.
Rumler says there's already a wage disparity between Illinois, which has a minimum wage of $8.25/hour and Iowa which has a minimum wage of $7.25/hour. That puts Illinois Quad Cities companies at a disadvantage.
He says the minimum wage should be set at the federal level to keep an even playing field.