Albany, N.Y. – Assembly member Harry B. Bronson (D-Rochester/Chili/Riga/Rush/Wheatland)
announced that legislation to increase the minimum wage has passed through the
Assembly Labor Committee (A.9148). Bronson is a member of the Labor Committee
and a co-sponsor of this legislation.
"We have moved one step closer to increasing
the minimum wage," Assembly member Bronson said. "Hardworking
individuals deserve a fair wage and $7.25 an hour is not enough for people to
survive on."
If this legislation
passes the Assembly and Senate and is signed into law by the governor, the
minimum wage would increase from $7.25 an hour to $8.50 an hour. Increasing the
minimum wage would provide tremendous relief for many people in Rochester,
where according to a 2010 study, 29.4 percent live in poverty. This number is
double both the national and state averages.
Currently, 18 other states-- including the
neighboring states of Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts have higher
minimum wages than New York. New York's minimum wage has only increased 10
cents per hour in the past five years.
"Those who work full time should not be living
on the poverty line, yet that is what we are seeing with the minimum wage at
$7.25," Assembly member Bronson said.
Mr. Bronson has been an active supporter of a
minimum wage increase, last week he co-hosted a minimum wage roundtable with
Metro Justice and other members of the community to discuss the importance of
raising the minimum wage.
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