State Senator Jason Barickman is concerned that property taxes will go up after Governor JB Pritzker signed a law last week to raise the minimum wage for teachers.

The new law phases in the increase over four years, starting at 32-thousand dollars in 2020, hitting 40-grand in 2023. 

Barickman says he wants teachers to make more money, but he suggested finding ways to increase the wage through the school funding formula.

The Bloomington Republican and others around Illinois are worried the law takes power away from locally elected school boards.

Pritzker says the measure will help attract teachers to the state, where there’s a shortage of teachers with certain qualifications. He adds that the salary increase will encourage college students to pursue the profession.