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RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the national minimum hourly wage is $7.25, and has not been changed since July
1,2009; and
! WHEREAS, the minimum hourly wage in Illinois is $8.25 for employees who are 18 years of
age or older, and has not been changed since July 1, 2010; and
WHEREAS, every attempt to increase the minimum wage raises concerns about whether such an increase might deter business expansion and new hiring, or even force job reductions; and
, WHEREAS, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national
'unemployment rate in June 2014 was 6.1%, while Illinois had an unemployment rate of 7.1%; and
I WHEREAS, according to World Business Chicago, the unemployment rate for the City of
Chicago only for June 2014 was 8.2%;
WHEREAS, the unemployment rate for workers between the ages of 16 and 20 was 21% in I June 2014; and
i WHEREAS, establishing a higher minimum wage for the City of Chicago versus the rest of the
IState of Illinois would lead to a cut back in hiring and a reduction of jobs for City businesses just starting to recover from the great recession;
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WHEREAS, Chicago risks alienating more businesses near its borders as it considers a proposal ito create a Chicago-specific wage floor that is higher than all of its surrounding suburbs and the state of Indiana;
I WHEREAS, maintaining and increasing employment opportunities in the City of Chicago are of
great importance to the fiscal vitality of the city;
WHEREAS, both the United States tongress and the Illinois General Assembly have under [consideration various measures to increase the minimum hourly wage;
WHEREAS, Chicago should focus its policies on job creation so that unemployed residents can find work, investing in job-training so that its current unskilled workforce becomes a skilled workforce in emerging industries and providing a quality education that prepares children for college;
WHEREAS, it is appropriate that the |City Council gather information concerning the workable alternatives on how to increase the minimum ihourly wage and to make legislative recommendations to die Illinois General Assembly and the United States Congress, in order to advance the economic interests of current and potential future employees, and in order to preserve and promote local businesses; now, therefore,
I BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council, through its Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development, conduct one or more hearings on the effect of the current minimum hourly >vage on workers and business owners in Chicago, and on methods of increasing the current minimum hourly wage throughout the State and enhancing the employment and business climate in our City; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development invite interested and informed economists, representatives of workers' groups and representatives of business associations to present information to the Committee; and
Thomas MyTunney Alderman, 44th Ward
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee undertake his work with a view toward developing recommendations to the Illinois General Assembly and the United States Congress on methods of implementing a consistent increase in the minimum hourly wage throughout the State of Illinois.