New Jersey's top Democrats on Friday announced they've resolved their competing proposals to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, who wanted to legislatively raise the wage floor to $15 all at once, and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who proposed a public referendum to raise wages $1 at a time, said at a Statehouse news conference they will combine their proposals.
"I'm please we've been able to reach an agreement on how to move forward on this issue because this will be one of the most critical things we do this year," Prieto said.
They'll seek to up wages first through law, and then by constitutional amendment if Gov. Chris Christie blocks the legislation. Sweeney and Prieto expect the governor will veto the bill, but they still want to go through the legislative process so both sides can have their say.
The state has given businesses billions of dollars in tax credits, Prieto said, adding that he represents "another group that lives paycheck to paycheck."
We need to take care of those people also," he said.
Within the past month, both made calls to boost the state's $8.38 minimum wage by nearly 80 percent. Prieto (D-Hudson) and two other Assembly Democrats introduced a bill (A15) that would bring the minimum wage up to $15 an hour with annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index.
Sweeney, Norcross push $15 minimum wage for N.J. and nation
State and federal lawmakers announced Tuesday they will introduce joint bills to raise the minimum wage to $15
Sweeney (D-Gloucester) followed up with a proposed constitutional amendment running parallel to a bill U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1st Dist.) introduced in Congress to gradually raise the wage floor $1 a year until 2024. Increases beyond that date would also be tied to the rate of inflation. Their measures would also offer tax credits to small businesses that exceed the minimum.
Prieto and Sweeney announced Friday morning they'll back a bill to phase in the new wage, saying it's a more reasonable pace for New Jersey businesses. The constitutional route, which bypasses the governor, is a contingency plan should Christie veto that bill. Democrats control both houses and wouldn't need Republican support to put the question on the ballot, though not in time for this fall's election.
"It's a matter of economic fairness and human dignity," Sweeney said. "No one who works a full-time job should be living in poverty, especially at a time when so much of the nation's wealth flows up to the richest 1 percent."
A spokesman for Christie said Friday that the proposal just just more "political gamesmanship" that will "cripple New Jersey's rebounding economy by doubling the minimum wage, which will kill our historic job growth and drive more major businesses out of the state."
New Jersey's minimum wage is already controlled by the state constitution. Democrats went that route after Christie in 2013 vetoed a minimum wage bill that he said would hurt the economy. Instead of the $1 wage hike and annual inflation-based adjustments Democrats wanted, he offered to phase the $1 increase in over three years, with no automatic increases.
Democrats took their plan to voters, who agreed to amend the state constitution to increase the minimum wage by $1 to $8.25 an hour and then adjust annually based on the Consumer Price Index. Wages rose 13 cents in January 2015 and did not increase in 2016.
By asking voters to raise the minimum wage at that time, "We felt like we were doing the right thing," Sweeney said. "It went up $1.13. But it's just not enough. We didn't get it right. I'm acknowledging it. We need to go back and do it and get it right."
The annual take-home pay for a full-time worker earning the current minimum wage in New Jersey is about $17,430. The United Way of Northern New Jersey has estimated a single adult in New Jersey would need to earn $13.78 an hour to meet his or her basic needs, and $19.73 per hour "better food and shelter, plus modest savings."
Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) issued a statement criticizing the "socialist agenda" New Jersey Democrats are pursuing.
"New Jersey's constitution shouldn't be used as a tool to execute a national Democrat socialist agenda. We should instead have a thorough discussion about increasing the minimum wage it should be done in a collaborative manner by elected officials," Kyrillos said. "That's our job."
Michele Siekerka, president of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, has called both tacts egregious. Businesses can't keep up with "a 79 percent increase whether it's tomorrow or within the next eight years," she said.
"Let's incentivize more companies to do the things we want them to do rather than mandating those who can't afford to do it and forcing them to go out of business or cut jobs," she said.
N.J.'s top Democrats join forces on $15 minimum wage
State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, who wanted to legislatively raise the wage floor to $15 all at once, and state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, who proposed a public referendum to raise wages $1 at a time, said at a Statehouse news conference they will combine their proposals.
"I'm please we've been able to reach an agreement on how to move forward on this issue because this will be one of the most critical things we do this year," Prieto said.
They'll seek to up wages first through law, and then by constitutional amendment if Gov. Chris Christie blocks the legislation. Sweeney and Prieto expect the governor will veto the bill, but they still want to go through the legislative process so both sides can have their say.
The state has given businesses billions of dollars in tax credits, Prieto said, adding that he represents "another group that lives paycheck to paycheck."
We need to take care of those people also," he said.
Within the past month, both made calls to boost the state's $8.38 minimum wage by nearly 80 percent. Prieto (D-Hudson) and two other Assembly Democrats introduced a bill (A15) that would bring the minimum wage up to $15 an hour with annual increases based on the Consumer Price Index.
Sweeney, Norcross push $15 minimum wage for N.J. and nation
State and federal lawmakers announced Tuesday they will introduce joint bills to raise the minimum wage to $15
Sweeney (D-Gloucester) followed up with a proposed constitutional amendment running parallel to a bill U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1st Dist.) introduced in Congress to gradually raise the wage floor $1 a year until 2024. Increases beyond that date would also be tied to the rate of inflation. Their measures would also offer tax credits to small businesses that exceed the minimum.
Prieto and Sweeney announced Friday morning they'll back a bill to phase in the new wage, saying it's a more reasonable pace for New Jersey businesses. The constitutional route, which bypasses the governor, is a contingency plan should Christie veto that bill. Democrats control both houses and wouldn't need Republican support to put the question on the ballot, though not in time for this fall's election.
"It's a matter of economic fairness and human dignity," Sweeney said. "No one who works a full-time job should be living in poverty, especially at a time when so much of the nation's wealth flows up to the richest 1 percent."
A spokesman for Christie said Friday that the proposal just just more "political gamesmanship" that will "cripple New Jersey's rebounding economy by doubling the minimum wage, which will kill our historic job growth and drive more major businesses out of the state."
New Jersey's minimum wage is already controlled by the state constitution. Democrats went that route after Christie in 2013 vetoed a minimum wage bill that he said would hurt the economy. Instead of the $1 wage hike and annual inflation-based adjustments Democrats wanted, he offered to phase the $1 increase in over three years, with no automatic increases.
Democrats took their plan to voters, who agreed to amend the state constitution to increase the minimum wage by $1 to $8.25 an hour and then adjust annually based on the Consumer Price Index. Wages rose 13 cents in January 2015 and did not increase in 2016.
By asking voters to raise the minimum wage at that time, "We felt like we were doing the right thing," Sweeney said. "It went up $1.13. But it's just not enough. We didn't get it right. I'm acknowledging it. We need to go back and do it and get it right."
The annual take-home pay for a full-time worker earning the current minimum wage in New Jersey is about $17,430. The United Way of Northern New Jersey has estimated a single adult in New Jersey would need to earn $13.78 an hour to meet his or her basic needs, and $19.73 per hour "better food and shelter, plus modest savings."
Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) issued a statement criticizing the "socialist agenda" New Jersey Democrats are pursuing.
"New Jersey's constitution shouldn't be used as a tool to execute a national Democrat socialist agenda. We should instead have a thorough discussion about increasing the minimum wage it should be done in a collaborative manner by elected officials," Kyrillos said. "That's our job."
Michele Siekerka, president of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, has called both tacts egregious. Businesses can't keep up with "a 79 percent increase whether it's tomorrow or within the next eight years," she said.
"Let's incentivize more companies to do the things we want them to do rather than mandating those who can't afford to do it and forcing them to go out of business or cut jobs," she said.
N.J.'s top Democrats join forces on $15 minimum wage
