Posted May 28, 2014, 1:24 PM
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Join Date: Nov 2010
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Michigan raises minimum wage to $9.25
Quote:
Snyder signs bill raising Michigan's minimum wage to $9.25
Gary Heinlein
Detroit News Lansing Bureau
The Republican-controlled Legislature moved rapidly Tuesday to boost Michigan’s minimum wage 25 percent, to $9.25 an hour by 2018, and short-circuit a possible election issue in November, and Gov. Rick Snyder quickly signed it into law.
The House voted 76-34 and the Senate voted 24-12 late Tuesday afternoon to raise the state’s current $7.40 minimum in four stages. The first boost, to $8.15 an hour, would take effect in September, then up to $8.50 at the beginning of 2016, $8.90 in 2017 and $9.25 in 2018.
It applies to workers 18 and older; younger workers will get 85 percent of the new minimums.
Snyder said the bill represents a compromise and responsibly raises the wage.
“I commend my partners in the Legislature for finding common ground on a bill that will help Michigan workers and protect our state’s growing economy,” Snyder said.
Supporters say the new wage could mean more money in the pockets of 1 million Michiganians.
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Starting in 2019, annual increases will be linked to the lesser of a rolling five-year average boost in the Midwest consumer price index, or 3.5 percent. The Midwest average has been around 2.6 percent, according to the chief House architect of the compromise.
Michigan is the first state with a Republican-led Legislature to raise its minimum wage this year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Minnesota and West Virginia have raised their minimum wages, as well as the District of Columbia. Vermont’s legislature has passed an increase but it has yet to be signed by the governor.
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A voter-initiated group, Raise Michigan, had wanted current legislation amended to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. A rate that Democratic-led states are set to raise toward and a rate which most Michigan Republicans and small business communities were not in favor of.
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