Quinn Calls Again For Minimum Wage Increase

Credit State of Illinois

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn wants to raise the state's minimum wage. 

Dept. of Labor: State By State Minimum Wage Laws

Earlier this year, Quinn used his State of the State address as an opportunity to tell lawmakers he wanted to raise the minimum wage from $8.25 to $10. Over the weekend, he took his message to a Chicago church:

"It's a principal as old as the Bible: to help those who work hard [to] not live in poverty. We want to alleviate poverty." -Illinois Governor Pat Quinn

Quinn says a full-time minimum wage worker in Illinois falls below the Federal Poverty level.

"If you work 40 hours a week, you shouldn't have to live in poverty," Quinn said.

Critics say raising the rate is a job killer. The Illinois minimum wage was last raised in 2010. The federal minimum wage is $7.25.