Andrzej Kozlowski, owner of Rock Island’s Sound Conservatory (1600 2nd Ave.), is one local business owner who supports the rise in Illinois’ minimum wage, effective Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

Kas Shewell works for her voice teacher and pianist Andrzej Kozlowski at the Sound Conservatory, Rock Island (photo by Jonathan Turner).

He spoke recently with Local 4 News about why he pays employees more than the minimum wage, which will increase $1 an hour, to $13 an hour, compared with Iowa’s stagnant $7.25 minimum. Watch the video above.