Governor Pat Quinn's re-election campaign made a stop in southern Illinois Monday.
Lt. Governor Candidate Paul Vallas visited with union workers and leaders at the Laborers' Local 773 in Marion. Vallas criticized republican candidate for Governor Bruce Rauner for equating the state's high unemployment rate with Illinois' $8.25 minimum wage. Vallas said Rauner is 'out of touch' and 'doesn't get it'. Vallas says a higher minimum wage stimulates the economy. He told the group of a couple of dozen union supporters that putting more money in the hands of working families increases the amount of money they put back into the economy and makes them less reliant on government services.
Rauner's comments came during a recent meeting with the Springfield Journal Register's editorial board. During that meeting Rauner said his comments on the minimum wage have been taken out of context, and he said he's not expressed his position clearly in the past. Rauner has called for an increase in the federal minimum wage so as not to put Illinois businesses at a disadvantage or to couple an increase in the state's minimum wage with workers compensation, tort, and tax reforms.
