Someone has to give in budget stalemate

In trying to balance the state budget, there seems to be many problems. Businesses don't want to pay any more taxes, threaten to move out of state if they don't get what they want.

State workers and the teacher's union don't want pension changes to help the budget. Local governments don't want to lose revenue, because they would have to cut services to balance their budgets, which in some cases are tight already. Then there's social programs, the programs needed to provide funds for the people living in poverty, which no one wants to change to help the budget. As a result, it's at a stalemate.

In 1972, the state minimum wage was $1.40 per hour. Today it is $8.25 per hour, an increase of $6.85 per hour over 43 years or 16 cents an hour per year. Then we wonder why we have so many people living in poverty.

First, we should raise the minimum wage to $13 or $14 an hour. This would provide more revenue for the state in the form of the state income tax, which also would provide Illinois workers with a better wage to earn a living, making it possible to have fewer people on welfare part of the social programs, thus saving the state money. This would help balance the state budget without any major tax increases to Illinois businesses or workers.

Another thing that should be looked at is a program to increase the minimum wage each year based on cost of living or some other economic indicator, to keep workers from returning to the poverty level. Then you can look at what cuts can be made to balance the budget. No one wants to loose funding, but someone has to give or Illinois will remain in debt.

Stanley F. Jurczewski Jr.

Roselle