RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, and has not been increased since July 1, 2009; and
WHEREAS, The Illinois minimum wage is $8.25 per hour for workers who are 18 years of age or older, and has not been increased since July 1, 2010; and
WHEREAS, For the past several years, wages have stagnated, especially for workers at the low end of the pay spectrum, although the costs of rental housing and the prices of necessary goods and services have continued to rise; and
WHEREAS, In the name of increased profit, productivity, and competitiveness, many employers have held workers back from advancing out of minimum wage positions, effectively transforming "entry-level" into a permanent status; and
WHEREAS, In response to these concerns, on December 2, 2014, the City Council of the City of Chicago took action to increase the minimum wage for workers in the City; and
WHEREAS, The problems mentioned above do not end at the Chicago city limits, and it is appropriate and necessary to assist workers throughout Illinois; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and members of the City Council of the City of Chicago, do hereby call on the Illinois General Assembly to adopt legislation to help the working poor by increasing the minimum wage for lllinoisans who work outside of Chicago; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we call on the Governor to sign such legislation as soon as it is passed; and
P'atricW-. O'Connor Alderman, 40th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this Resolution be prepared and delivered to the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, to the Clerk of the Illinois House of Representatives, to the President of the Illinois Senate, to the Clerk of the Illinois Senate, and to the Governor. ^