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Friday, February 21, 2014

GOVERNOR O’MALLEY TAKES EFFORT TO RAISE MARYLAND’S MINIMUM WAGE TO THE WHITE HOUSE

O’Malley joins three other governors to talk about raising the wage for hardworking American families

WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 21, 2014) -- Governor O’Malley -- along with Governors Inslee (Wash.), Malloy (Conn.), and Quinn (Ill.) -- met with Vice President Biden, and other officials at the White House today to discuss efforts to expand opportunity and strengthen the middle class by raising the minimum wage.

Governor O’Malley has made raising the wage a top priority for the 2014 state legislative session. In the proposal, Maryland’s minimum wage of $7.25 would increase incrementally to $10.10 in July 2016. The proposal secures the value of the minimum wage by tying future increases to inflation.

“Over the last seven years, we’ve made the better choice to strengthen and grow our middle class by investing in Maryland’s #1 public schools, 21st century innovation, and modern infrastructure. Today, we continue our fight to expand opportunity increasing our State’s minimum wage,” said Governor O’Malley. “Nobody who works hard and plays by the rules should have to live in poverty. Raising the minimum wage would lift the incomes of 455,000 Maryland workers across our State, and millions more at the national level. That’s why it’s critical that we give hardworking families the raise they deserve.”

Vice President Biden, joined by Secretary of Labor Tom Perez, Director of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling, and a number of high-ranking Cabinet and White House officials, praised the Governor’s efforts to increase Maryland’s minimum wage saying, “Governor O’Malley is doing extraordinary work in Maryland to lift their minimum wage and give more hardworking Americans a raise."

Mary Kay Henry of SEIU, Olivia Morgan from the Shriver Report, along with representatives from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Center for American Progress joined the conversation which touched on two policy studies out of the University of Massachusetts and Princeton University. Both studies found that an increase to the minimum wage would have no adverse effect on employment rates when examining similar increases in local jurisdictions.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, raising Maryland’s minimum wage would benefit 455,000 workers in Maryland, stimulate $456 million in new economic activity during the phase-in period, and generate or support 1,600 new jobs for the State.

Currently there are 21 states, including the District of Columbia, with minimum wage rates higher than the federal rate of $7.25 per hour. New Jersey’s minimum wage is $8.25 and New York’s is $8.00; the Pew Center for the States ranked both states in the top 3 for economic mobility, along with Maryland.

President Obama recently issued an executive order increasing the minimum wage for federal contractors to $10.10. According to a recent study by the University of Massachusetts, raising the federal wage would driven down the national poverty rate by 1.7 percent, or 4.6 million Americans. Raising the wage by 2015 would increase GDP by about $32 billion and create 140,000 new jobs for the American economy.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

owemally was measuring for new curtains while he was there

Anonymous said...

Job killer! 10% more on unemployment, just how they want it.

Anonymous said...

Its curtains for omally...he will never becone president...he is the laughing stock of america

Obama Crooked.Bastardo said...

Another load of crap from OweMalley. As "Wonderful" they make it to be, IT IS A JOB KILLER and here's the example: 4 Employees who make $7.50/hr. now costs the Employer 7.50 x 4 totals $30 for every hour.
Example 1) Minimum Wage Goes Up, all employees make $10/hr which forces Employer to pay $40 every hour. Employer realizes he HAS TO INCREASE PRICES OF HIS PRODUCTS AND SERVICES, CUSTOMER PAYS. This Employer is any Retail store.
Example 2) Another Employer like McDonalds, their 4 employees would be at $10/hr also. But McDonalds would decide to keep their prices the same, so they FIRE ONE EMPLOYEE, and spread the workload between 3 employees and possible reduce their open hoirs due to scheduling conflict.
So, PRICES WOULD GO UP AGAIN AND SOME PEOPLE WOULD LOOSE THEIR JOBS. So, why are Democrats trying to sell this as a Great Deal For the People?
A) They would collect More Taxes on $10/hr than 7.25/hr, but they forget there would be less workers, which is a fact they ignore
B) More folks on Welfare means more control and also gtting close to.the Magical number 51%. Why 51%?? Because when you have 51% dependant on
Government.you have majority voting for Democ-rats EVERY ELECTION.
So who are all those OweMalley Comrades hudling around the White House? If you guessed DEMOCRAT SOCIALISTS, you guessed right.

Anonymous said...

DOWN WITH DEMOCRATS and THIER FAILED POLICIES

Anonymous said...

5:07 Well stated. This is the Democratic long range plan to force us into Socialism.

Anonymous said...

I am an employer with 40 employees. 35 of them make between $8.50 and $9.00. An increase that large will cost me about $40 per hour or $2000 per week. That's about $100,000 per year. I am under long term contract with my customers and cannot raise my prices that much. I am now out of business and all 40 of us lose our jobs as well as I default on my loans to the bank. How does that help the economy?