Connecticut Senate gives final approval to $15 minimum wage; Gov. Ned Lamont pledges to sign bill

[George II]

Source: Hartford Courant

Following a deeply personal and highly partisan debate, the Connecticut Senate gave final legislative approval early Friday to a bill that would lift the state’s hourly minimum wage to $15 by 2023.

Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont is a supporter and has pledged to sign the bill into law.

Over the course of six and a half hours, Republican lawmakers shared stories of businesses owners who cannot afford to provide a raise to their employees, given the state’s tepid economy. Democrats, meanwhile, spoke of how a higher wage would provide an important boost to those on the lower rungs of the income scale.

Sitting in the ornate Senate chamber, listening to it all, was Takara Gilbert, a 20-year-old Hartford resident who works as a food preparer and cashier at McDonald’s, earning $10.10 per hour, Connecticut’s current minimum wage.

Read more: https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-minimum-wage-increases-connecticut-20190517-tri4pt23yvcv7hgyq5gcel3cx4-story.html

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This is an issue that many of our Democratic presidential candidates are running on. NY did this a while back, now Connecticut. It's only a matter of time before many other states do so, too.

[NewJeffCT]

1. good

the increased wages for those making between $10 and $15 up to $15 will provide a boost to the state economy

[Bengus81]

2. LOL....tepid economy is RIGHT

This BS Trump BOOMING economy is just that.......smoke and mirrors BS. Not seeing any booming economy here in Kansas and Mickey D's workers STILL start at $7.75 per hour.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. Thank you, Bernie, for making this possible.

Just a few years ago, $15 dollars was too high!

[George II]

4. Pssst.....

Vermont's minimum wage is $10.78. Thank you Bernie!

[Billsmile]

5. $10.78 Minimum Wage in 2019 With More Increases Coming

The minimum wage in Vermont will increase yearly by the percentage increase of the Consumer Price Index.

Only 7 states have a higher minimum wage than VT.

[George II]

8. Yes, Vermont's increases are tied to the CPI. If the CPI increase averages 3%....

.....which it's only done five times in the last 25 years, their minimum wage won't reach $15 until 2031.

[Cha]

7. Yeah, I don't BS gets credit

for Connecticut lawmakers doing the work.

[cstanleytech]

6. Sorry but raising the minimum wage will accomplish little in the long run.

I am not saying workers should not be earning more rather I am pointing out that we will end up right back where we are now in 10 to 20 years with people still struggling if we do not do something to entice employers to pay workers better on their own.
One way to go about might be to link the employers taxes to how much its workers gross per year.
The lower the take home pay for more of the workers then the higher the taxes the employer pays.