By Todd Wineburner with Nick Gale

Pat Quinn says his call for a minimum wage increase will stimulate the Illinois economy, not restrict it. Quinn called for a 10 dollar per hour minimum wage during his state of the state speech, and the firestorm among business leaders hasn’t died down yet. Restaurant industry representatives say their businesses will be particularly hard hit should Quinn’s plan come to pass.

Quinn rejects the concerns of business leaders, saying the increase would be introduced incrementally, so employers wouldn’t face a dramatic increase overnight. Quinn says over 500,000 people in Illinois are minimum wage workers and that increasing their wages will be good for the state’s economy. Minimum wage in Illinois is currently $8.25 per hour.