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House Holdup On Tax Hike, Minimum Wage

House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago
House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago
House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago
House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago

 Two major Democratic initiatives are still short the votes needed to pass, at least in the House, as the General Assembly heads into the final stretch of its spring session.

The House isn't read to take up two major, Democratic initiatives, as Amanda Vinicky reports

    

How to deal with Illinois' income tax rate is arguably the biggest issue looming over Illinois politics.

The 5-percent rate is set to rollback in January, but Gov. Pat Quinn wants the higher rate extended permanently, an approach favored by the Democratic leaders of the legislature.

Given the party's supermajorities, there's some thought that Democrats would be able to muscle the hike through, despite Republican protests.

House Speaker Michael Madigan says he hasn't yet surveyed his members, to see how much muscle and arm-twisting that would take.

"It's not going to be an easy vote. And it's going to require a lot of work," Madigan says.

Madigan says he has begun a roll call on another proposal -- hiking Illinois' minimum wage to more than $10 an hour.   Madigan says there aren't currently enough votes pass it out of the House.

*This story has been updated from its original version, which incorrectly stated that the Senate had passed a minimum wage bill; SB68 advanced from a Senate committee and awaits a vote before the full chamber.

Copyright 2014 NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS

Amanda Vinicky
Amanda Vinicky moved to Chicago Tonight on WTTW-TV PBS in 2017.