Republican Governor Hesistant about Raising wage above $5.15 an Hour
The Senate voted 30-16 Thursday to
raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.15 an hour, an increase
supporters said is needed to catch up with inflation. If the proposal
wins final approval, it would raise the salary for a full-time worker
earning minimum wage from the current $10,712 a year to $12,792. "This
is a modest increase, but it will make a difference in Maryland," said
Tom Hucker, executive director of Progressive Maryland. But opponents
say raising the minimum wage would harm business, and while the measure
has the support of the Senate president and House speaker, it could
face a veto by Gov. Robert Ehrlich. "The governor is never enthusiastic
about proposals that could potentially force employers to lay off
employees," said Ehrlich spokesman Henry Fawell. Ehrlich last year
vetoed a so-called "living wage" bill that would have required workers
under state-government contract be paid at least $10.50 an hour. While
this bill is less ambitious than the living wage bill, Fawell said the
governor is "not inclined" to support it, either. "We'll reserve
judgment until (the bill) reaches the governor's desk," he said. The
state's current minimum wage matches the federal rate, which has not
changed since 1997. The bill passed Thursday would raise the minimum
wage by $1 an hour, but would allow employers to deduct their hourly
cost in health benefits to their employees, back to a minimum of $5.15
an hour. Several types of workers would remain exempt from the
minimum-wage requirement, including tip-earning workers, full-time
students and disabled employees. [more]
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