Skelos fears wage bill may hurt jobs

ALBANY -- The leader of the State Senate threw cold water Tuesday on a proposal to hike New York's minimum wage.

"My concern is that this could be a job killer rather than a job promoter," Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) said.

Skelos' comments came a day after the State Legislature's top Democrat, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan), unveiled a proposal to raise New York's minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $8.50, and to index the minimum wage to the inflation rate. Silver noted that Massachusetts ($8) and Connecticut ($8.25) have higher minimum wages than New York and that New Jersey is considering going to $8.50.

Skelos' comments don't kill the chances of Silver's bill. But it shows that Silver has a ways to go to get the Republican-led Senate on board. Other Republicans also expressed skepticism about hiking the wage while the economy is still in a slump.

"Given all the fiscal challenges we face right now," said Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport), "adding extra costs to businesses who are trying to create jobs could be far more counterproductive."

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo noted he has supported minimum-wage hikes in the past but is on the fence about Silver's proposal.

"We want to understand the impact of a minimum-wage increase on the economy," Cuomo said Monday. "For me, everything is about getting the economy going, getting jobs and opportunities available to all New Yorkers."

Silver said studies don't back Skelos' notion that a pay hike will result in job losses.

A minimum-wage hike, Silver said, "is an incentive for people to go to work instead of continuing on government programs."