Christie nixes bill to raise New Jersey minimum wage to $15

Republican Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday shot down an attempt to raise New Jersey’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour in the next year and to at least $15 over the next five.

“Such a significant mandated wage increase would ultimately hurt small business”, he said. It’s the second time during his time as governor that Christie rejected a minimum wage hike sent to him by the state’s Democratic-controlled Legislature.

Anticipating Christie’s veto, Democratic lawmakers led by Senate President Stephen Sweeney have said they will press for a publici referendum on the 2017 ballot, asking voters to approve the controveresial wage hike. But, he said, Democrats will continue to push for mandatory raises to the minimum wage and called the issue “a fight”.

“We know that in 68 percent of the times that the minimum wage has been increased across the nation, in different states we’ve seen an increase in employment”, Mejia said.

“Increasing the minimum wage to $15, as prescribed in the bill vetoed today, is too much too fast”, Siekerka said.

“Had this bill been signed, it would not only have hurt the New Jersey economy, but it would have hurt the exact workers the proponents of this policy are trying to help”, she said in a statement. Three workers declined interviews. Minimum wage jobs should go to entry-level workers who are learning a skill and making some cash on their way to getting a higher education, she said. But one of the vetoed bill’s sponsors said they’re exploring options. “People that work at McDonald’s want $15 an hour to sling burgers?”

Washington and 29 states have set minimum wages above the federal rate of $7.25 an hour, according to the NCSL.

New Jersey’s minimum wage is already controlled by the state Constitution. NY and California passed similar measures.

“Instead, he has made a decision to allow employers to continue paying 975,000 New Jerseyans so little that they can’t survive on their wages alone in this high-cost state”, Whiten said.

Christie predicted a public relations fight over a constitutional amendment to raise the wage and encouraged the public to engage.

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