Monday, February 4, 2013

Greenwald on Christie Minimum Wage Veto: Hopefully the Voters Will Have More Compassion than This Governor

(TRENTON) – Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald on Monday criticized Governor Christie’s callous decision to conditionally veto democratic legislation (A-2162) that would raise the minimum wage to $8.50 an hour and boost it annually based on increases in the Consumer Price Index. 
“The Governor has essentially told working class families that they’re on their own. 
“Families struggling to get by on a minimum wage salary have not seen a legitimate increase in more than six years.  Phasing in a dollar increase over the next three years essentially forces them to wait nearly a decade for an increase that will lag well behind the cost of living increases by that time.
"Governor Christie's attempt to use the Earned Income Tax Credit to distract from his veto of a minimum wage increase is beyond cynical. New Jersey's working families won't be fooled, as they remember it was the Governor himself who attacked working families by slashing this bipartisan program in the first place.
 “Boosting the minimum wage would improve the quality of life for countless families drowning in increased costs and decreased wages, spark consumer spending and, as statistics have shown in other states, decrease the unemployment rate.  It is a sad, sad day when the Governor ignores these pressing priorities.
“Our only recourse now is to present voters with a constitutional amendment and hope they will have more compassion for their neighbors than this Governor,” said Greenwald (D-Camden/Burlington), a prime sponsor of the measure vetoed today.

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