Article: What 35 cent wage hike will mean Debate surrounds minimum wage hikes, but experts say it won't help or hurt much.(News)

Byline: John Patterson and Veronica Gonzalez Daily Herald Staff Writers

SPRINGFIELD - Business leaders grumbled Thursday as Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed into law new wage increases for Illinois' lowest-paid workers.

Advocates for the poor cheered.

But economic experts said both sides are premature. They said the state's new minimum wage is likely neither to hurt the state's economy nor to help many people all that much.

Under the new law, the minimum wage in Illinois will increase 35 cents, to $5.50 an hour, in 2004 and go to $6.50 the next year.

Labor unions and advocates for the poor championed the move, which makes Illinois ...

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