Assemblyman Frank Skartados (D-Milton) announced that the 2013-14 state budget includes an increase in the state’s minimum wage that he fought for. Under the new law, New York State’s minimum wage will gradually increase over the next three years from $7.25 per hour to $8.00 per hour on Jan. 1, 2014, $8.75 per hour on Jan. 1, 2015, and then to $9.00 per hour on Jan. 1, 2016.
“Raising the minimum wage will help give hardworking Hudson Valley minimum-wage earners the long-overdue support they need,” Assemblyman Skartados said. “It’s a great start, but it’s not enough. We need our minimum wage to be tied to the rate of inflation, so wages continue to keep up with the cost-of-living.”
The increase to the minimum wage will directly benefit 925,000 New Yorkers currently earning below $9.00 an hour, which is over 10 percent of the state’s employed population.[1][1] A full-time worker currently making the minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour earns just over $15,000 a year. Under the new law, minimum-wage earners working full time will earn about $16,640 beginning Jan. 1, 2014; roughly $18,200 beginning Jan. 1, 2015; and roughly $18,720 beginning Jan. 1, 2016.
The Assembly Majority has led a strong fight to increase the minimum wage, having voted last year to increase it to $8.50 per hour and twice this year to raise it to $9.00 per hour. The Assembly’s legislation would have indexed the minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to account for inflation.
Raising the minimum wage has broad support, with over 80 percent of New Yorkers showing their support of an increased minimum wage.[2] [2] Additionally, the neighboring states of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont have higher minimum wages than New York State, as do 16 other states and the District of Columbia.
“This wage increase will put more money into the pockets of hardworking Hudson Valley families, but we can’t stop now,” Assemblyman Skartados said. “I’ll continue fighting to take politics out of the equation and ensure that our minimum wage rate will always reflect the cost of living.”
[1] www.assembly.state.ny.us/ssspolicy/2013minwage.pdf
[2] Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, January 31, 2013
- Assemblyman Skartados Supports Increased Funding for Local Roads
- Assemblyman Skartados Supports Increase in State Aid to Mid-Hudson Valley Schools
- Assemblyman Skartados: State Budget Will Increase the Minimum Wage
- Assemblyman Skartados: Assembly Budget Proposal Would Help Grow Jobs, Aid Small Businesses
- Assemblyman Skartados Supports Assembly Budget Proposal That Increases School Aid by $834 Million