Fears about impact of higher minimum wage

I believe that everyone who puts in a good day's work deserves a full day's pay. So it was one of the hardest decisions of my life when I voted against raising Illinois' minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 an hour over the next six years.

As a small-business owner myself, I don't think this gradual increase will prove catastrophic for our business community - especially since Illinois' minimum wage hasn't gone up since 2010.

My concern, and the reason I voted no, is that I'm keenly aware of the many minimum wage workers employed by our schools, parks, libraries and village halls. I absolutely believe these workers deserve a fair wage - but I'm worried that our communities will struggle to bear the costs of these higher wages.

At the end of the day, I'm responsible to all of the taxpayers in the 48th District. After spending months knocking on doors and listening to my constituents, I know their top priority is putting a lid on our property taxes. I also received many calls and emails from constituents over the past weeks, urging me to vote against the minimum wage bill. So I heeded their concerns and voted my district.

With this new law on the books, the nation will be watching Illinois to assess the impact of a higher minimum wage on our state and local economy. Despite my concerns, I'm rooting for a good outcome that works for everybody.

When I ran for state representative, I promised that I would put my district's interests first. Although this was a tough call, I'm proud that I've already made good on this fundamental campaign promise - and I'm going to keep on listening to my constituents and casting votes that I think are right for the people of the 48th district.

State Rep. Terra Costa-Howard

Glen Ellyn