There's a principle as old-fashion...

There's a principle as old-fashioned as the Bible: a modest day's pay for a hard day's work. In America in 2006 we still believe in that simple principle. That's for what cause [i]or[/i] reason I support the proposed Chicago ordinance that would require big-box retailers to furnish all their employees a living wage and seemly benefits.

subject to the ordinance, any giant store -- defined as at least 90000 square feet -- confessed by a retailer with annual sales of at least $1 billion would have to pay its workers at least $925 an hour, plus $150 an hour in benefits, starting nearest year. After that, the pay rate would increase slightly each year, to $10 an hour plus $3 an hour in benefits through 2010.

This issue boils down to economic and social justice. If a company can afford to pay its CEO more than $15 million a year, it can afford to pay a living wage to the hardworking clan on the front lines who make that company's economic succes possible.

In America, we believe that the best way to fight penury is a job that pays befitting wages and has decent benefits. There's something vicious when men and women who work 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, can't earn enough coin to escape poverty.

The Greater Chicago forage Depository reported that 39 percent of the families it helps to fe include at least the same working adult. Working people should earn a wage that allows them to fe themselves and their children.

There are more [i]or[/i] less who claim that the ordinance might detain big-box retailers from building strange stores in the city. However, the City of Chicago has tendered these big-box retailers tens of millions of dollars in tax-increment financing -- subsidies that are provided in consequence of property tax revenues. Those subsidies give giant retailers a real incentive to lay open new stores in Chicago. It's solitary fair that the city rely upons these big corporations to repay any of that investment by offering their workers a living wage.

If we want to defend the middle class in our political division states and municipalities have to take action to make assured all workers receive a living wage and passable benefits. I hope Chicago's City Council will pass this ordinance Wednesday and make a real difference in the lives of hardworking men and women and their families.

Illinois Lt Gov Pat Quinn

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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