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Rep. Michael R. Veon Democratic Whip Despite a campaign of disinformation, our message is resonating with people all across the Commonwealth: someone who works hard at a full-time job 52 weeks per year should not be coming up thousands of dollars short of the Federal poverty wage. In real, inflation-adjusted dollars, the men and women who earn minimum wage in the Keystone State are taking home fewer dollars than at any time since 1949. We have single parents working 40-hours-per-week, 52-weeks-per-year coming up nearly $2,000 short of the federal poverty level for a family of two, and more than $5,000 short of the poverty level for a family of three. No one should work hard for a year and have to say they're making poverty wages. And now, people in the Keystone State must look north over our borders to see that New York's new minimum wage law will mean wages of $7.15 per hour as of January 1, 2006, and look east to see that New Jersey's proposed minimum wage increase has passed the Senate in the Garden State. These are not far away states with no real industrial or population base -- these are our neighbors and most direct competitors, and they're leaving us in the dust. I have attached an article on the latest action in New Jersey to give you more information. Along with House Democratic Leader Bill DeWeese, Democratic Caucus Chairman Mark Cohen and Democratic Labor Committee Chairman Bob Belfanti and many other members of the House Democratic Caucus, I've sponsored legislation to bring Pennsylvania's minimum wage in line with competing Mid-Atlantic and New England states. Overall, there are 14 states, plus Washington, D.C., with higher minimum wages, and many more states are considering legislation like ours. A minimum wage increase in Pennsylvania is long overdue. The time is now. Our working people cannot wait any longer. The House Democratic Caucus legislation would increase Pennsylvania minimum wage to:
This proposal will not hurt business and will help hard-working lower income people escape poverty to improve their lives and the lives of their families. Study after study shows that a minimum wage increase has little impact on employment. Most minimum-wage jobs are in service industries that generally don't relocate, and less than two percent of our manufacturing workers earn less than $6.15/hour. Yesterday, a statewide poll conducted by Quinnipiac University* said that Pennsylvanians support (by 84% - 13 %!) raising the state's minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $6.15. Our plan to raise the minimum wage to $7.15 per hour wins 60 - 35 percent support. This confirms what we've said all along -- Pennsylvanians believe in an honest day's pay for an honest day's work! A higher minimum wage would mean more dollars that workers can spend on goods and services in their communities. Even President Bush said "When people make more money they spend more, and when they spend more it helps the economy, which is good for all of us." Please join Bill DeWeese, Mark Cohen, Bob Belfanti and our House Democratic colleagues in supporting this modest measure to help working people. Contact your local lawmakers and urge them to do the right thing by passing this reasonable increase in the minimum wage. Be sure to sign up for more updates on this and other issues important to you at www.pahouse.com/flashAlertsPop.asp. Let me know your thoughts by contacting me at mveon@pahouse.net, and visit my Web site at www.pahouse.com/veon for more information. Sources: *From February 10 - 14, Quinnipiac University surveyed
1,250 Pennsylvania voters with a margin of error of +/- 2.8
percentage points. The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed
by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys
in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida
and the nation as a public service and for research. Higher wage passes Senate and advances in Assembly
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