Minimum wage hike is counterproductive

In an April 28th Herald Guest Column, Cook County Board President, Toni Preckwinkle, encouraged leaders in the county's suburban towns and villages to support two recent county ordinances for which the towns and villages have an "opt-out" privilege. One ordinance requires county employers to pay a new, higher minimum wage; and the other requires employers to allow employees five paid sick days each year.

Countless studies have shown that higher minimum wages diminish job opportunities for the people who dearly need them - largely by forcing businesses to look for ways to automate or eliminate jobs where no productivity gains support higher wages.

The sick-leave deal would be costly; burdensome to administer. put employees in control of when they do or do not show up for work and make more difficult the job of profitably operating a business.

Nonetheless, you can just imagine how puffed up with pride the County Board members were when they took these actions on behalf of the oppressed employees in our area - despite that each of these ordinances impose new work, new costs and new perils for county businesses - many of which are barely hanging on.

No matter, our board members are for the "people" and certainly not for greedy business men and women, nor their customers - who will pay higher prices for goods and services resultant from the impact of the new ordinances.

These latest examples of government indifference to economic realities are a case in point as to why Illinois is so undesirable for those wanting to form or expand businesses in our state. President Preckwinkle, endless taxes and regulatory expenses do not favor your goal of economic growth.

Local leaders, let's reject these ordinances and allow individual businesses - not government - develop and administer their HR policies. If they want to attract and keep good people, they will do this well.

Charles F. Falk

Schaumburg