Home Delivery

Senate passes minimum wage increase

May 5, 2008

Article tools

E-mail

Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Facebook
- Fark
- Google
- Newsvine
- Reddit
- Yahoo

HARTFORD, Conn. - The state Senate has voted to increase Connecticut's minimum wage next year.

The Senate voted 25-11 Monday night in favor of boosting the hourly wage from $7.65 to $8 beginning Jan. 1, 2009, and to $8.25 beginning Jan. 1, 2010.

The bill now moves to Gov. M. Jodi Rell's desk. The Republican governor has expressed concerns about increasing labor costs for small businesses during a difficult economic climate and has not said whether she'll sign the bill into law.

Some Senate Republicans said they worry that a higher wage to lead to fewer jobs.

"We don't have electric fences around our state," warned Sen. David Cappiello, R-Danbury. "People can leave, businesses can leave."

But supporters say low income workers in Connecticut have been hit hard by the poor economy and need a salary increase.

"I'm from Bridgeport, where you've got to make $22.52 an hour to afford a typical two-bedroom apartment in this city," said Sen. Edwin Gomes, a Democrat. "How many minimum wage jobs have you got to work, or how any people in that apartment have got to work minimum wage jobs, in order to afford that monthly rent?"

About 65,000 people in Connecticut earn minimum wage. Of those, 47 percent are 16- to 24-years old. Many are part-time workers or work in retail, sales, cashier and food service jobs.

Republicans offered several amendments, including a proposal that would link future minimum wage increases to the consumer price index, but each failed.

Lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn Wednesday at midnight.

__

On the Net:

www.cga.ct.gov

House Bill 5105