$15 an Hour Illinois Minimum Wage Proposed

In Illinois, the minimum wage, by law currently sits at $8.25 an hour, that could all change under a proposal expected to introduced in Springfield this week.

The $8.25 minimum wage has been on the books in Illinois since 2011, but according to the Chicago Tribune, an Illinois lawmaker is expecting to introduce a measure in the  Springfield that will raise the minimum wage to $15.00 an hour.

Democratic House Rep Will Guzzardi of Chicago will introduce the legislation because he feels taxpayers and communities have been burdened by helping those with low income.

The Tribune reports that Guzzardi feels this proposal will:

counter Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's pro-business agenda and address the political and budgetary crises that have snarled funding for basic services.

For those making minimum wage, don't start spending your raise, yet. The Guzzardi's proposal will gradually raise the minimum wage. If approved the first step will be increasing it to $9.00 an hour on Jan 1, 2018, and eventually rise to $15 by 2022

There have been six minimum wage increases in Illinois since 2003. You will recall back in 2003, Illinois' minimum wage was $5.15 an hour and has slowly increased through 2011 at $8.25 an hour, where it currently stands .