Mussman, Moynihan in 56th District both favor minimum wage increase
At a time when a quick fix to all of Illinois' economic problems seems to be on most politicians' lips, both Democratic 56th District state Rep. Michelle Mussman and Republican challenger Jim Moynihan instead view an increase to the state's minimum wage as a necessary - and realistic - first step.
But while they don't disagree on that basic point, their views on the methodology and reason for making such a change are influenced by their different personal experiences.
Mussman said legislators are definitely hoping to get some direction from voters through the advisory referendum on next month's ballot asking whether the minimum wage should be raised from $8.25 to $10 an hour.
She said she's well aware of philosophical arguments that minimum wage requirements either create jobs by providing more disposable income for workers or deplete jobs due to the higher amount per worker employers are required to spend.
"Unfortunately, you can't draw a direct line to a particular outcome," Mussman said. "That's what makes it such a difficult question."
But the evidence she sees that today's minimum wage isn't cutting it is the number of people she's met in her recent campaigning who can't afford to pay all their bills despite working full time.
And that's exactly the experience Moynihan said he's had as well.
"If someone is working full time and running a household, they should at least have a job that pays enough to put food on the table," he said.
Moynihan believes the minimum wage should be at least $10 an hour, but he said he doesn't know where the tipping point is beyond that between helping workers and killing jobs.
He suggests a higher minimum wage that would carry exceptions for teens working afterschool or summer jobs - income that isn't as necessary to running a household.
Mussman said a gradation system of different minimum wages for such different types of workers has been discussed for a while. But there's a difficulty in defining whose job and whose pay is more important. A teen's job may be just as important to raising money for college or contributing to a a struggling family's income, she said.
Moynihan said he's also aware of how having a two-tiered minimum wage law could be exploited by some employers focused on getting the most work for the least pay.
"Employers are people," he said. "There's always people looking to find ways to circumvent the true spirit of something and others who try to embrace it."
Moynihan added that he's also aware that calling for a higher minimum wage isn't the standard Republican platform.
"I don't think in terms of Democrat and Republican. I think in terms of community," he said. "I think it defines me as an individual thinker. I don't take my marching orders from a political boss."
The 56th District includes Schaumburg and portions of Elk Grove Village, Hoffman Estates, Bartlett, Hanover Park, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Roselle.