Rauner vetoes $15/hour wage for caregivers of developmentally disabled

Gov. Bruce Rauner on Friday used his veto powers on several bills aimed at increasing help for the state's most vulnerable, rejecting measures that would increase wages for workers who care for people with developmental disabilities and expand a child care program for low-income families.

The Republican governor said his opposition to the proposals lawmakers sent him is simple: There just isn't enough money to go around. It's the same argument he's used to block efforts to fund social service groups during the budget impasse. The moves also further fueled the anger of labor groups and providers who contend they've been repeatedly targeted by Rauner and forced to bear the brunt of the state's financial troubles.

At issue is legislation pushed by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees that would raise the minimum wage for so-called direct support personnel to $15 an hour. Those workers help the developmentally disabled with daily tasks ranging from cooking and cleaning to taking medication.

Providers say their average hourly wage is about $9.35, which they said has led to a severe staffing shortage that's forced some group homes to close and leave many families without the help they need. Two days earlier, Rauner himself acknowledged the "documented critical and growing shortage of direct support professionals throughout the United States" in a proclamation declaring that a week in September would honor support workers.

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