On Tuesday, August 31, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie vetoed a legislative plan to increase the state’s minimum wage to $15 within five years.
The last time the state approved a minimum wage increase was in 2013, when Gov. Christie was appointed into office. The minimum wage increase set the current rate to $8.38. However, Christie is now concerned about what the wage increase will have on businesses and consumers.
“The bottom line is that business owners facing added expenses from this bill in the form of increased payrolls, taxes and supply costs, will be confronted with four options, none of them are good: lay off workers or cut back their hours; raise prices; leave New Jersey; or close altogether.” wrote Christie.
It is argued that New Jersey legislators anticipated Christie’s veto, and are planning to introduce a constitutional amendment that will allow the issue to be settled via ballot vote by 2017. Under the plan that was vetoed by Christie, the state minimum wage would first increase to $10.10 an hour and then gradually increase to $15.10 by 2021. In order to allow the issue to be settled via a ballot, each house of the state legislature would need to pass the constitutional amendment consecutively. Or, the legislature can pass the measure with one three-fifths majority vote.
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto stated, “Today’s minimum wage does nothing short of tear families apart, forcing them to work multiple jobs just to live hand-to-mouth, while relying on government assistance to make ends meet. Meanwhile, the wealth continues to trickle up, not down.”
California and New York have already adopted minimum wages that are at least $15 per hour, and some other states have also raised their minimum wages.
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