Dec. 04--Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn told the Tribune on Wednesday that he hasn't given up hope on lawmakers coming back to Springfield to pass a statewide minimum wage increase, though it's likely to end up being a symbolic gesture for the outgoing chief executive.
"It's not over until it's over, and it isn't over," Quinn said by phone. "We're going to keep working hard with the members of the Senate and the House to get a minimum wage increase passed that the voters want. And I look forward to that battle. We're still working hard."
House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, pulled the plug Tuesday on passing a statewide minimum wage hike this session. On Wednesday, he sent House lawmakers home until after the new General Assembly is sworn in Jan. 14, two days after Republican Gov.-elect Bruce Rauner takes over.
A Madigan spokesman said the governor's staff told House Democratic staff that Quinn would not call lawmakers back to Springfield for a special session. Even if that changes, spokesman Steve Brown said there isn't enough support in the House for the measure that cleared the Senate on Wednesday.
"We couldn't find support for $10 (an hour), so nothing is improved from the ability to get votes in the House," Brown said.
The Senate sponsor of legislation that would raise the state's minimum wage to $11 by 2019 said Quinn told her he would call House lawmakers back into a special session to vote on the issue before Christmas.
"I know for sure that our governor is looking to call a special session for the House to return and take up the measure," Sen. Kim Lightford said. "And I'm hoping that 39 votes (in the Senate) will signal to the House that actually voting for a minimum wage and passing it is the right thing to do."
"He said that he would not allow the House not to vote for it," Lightford added.
If he calls a special session, Quinn, who lost to Rauner on Nov. 4, is playing the last card he can as he looks to put the finishing touches on his political career.
"My plan is to work as hard as I can over the next weeks to get the minimum wage increased statewide. I think it's very, very important. There's more than 10 million people who live outside the city of Chicago who want the minimum wage increased for their jurisdictions, where they live. We can't forget them," the governor said.
"We're going to labor night and day until we get the bill on my desk so I can sign it into law."
Mayor Rahm Emanuel got a Chicago minimum wage increase through the City Council on Tuesday by a 44-5 vote. The city minimum wage will reach $13 an hour by 2019.
