Governor Endorses Higher Wages For Some Localities
Unlike some states, New York does not allow local governments to set their own minimum wage, an issue that has drawn attention of local politicians and activists because of the starkly higher costs of living in New York City and its environs compared to much of Upstate. Previously, Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo had resisted altering that arrangement, but changed his position over the weekend. Now he says he is considering allowing municipalities to have a minimum wage as much as 30 percent more than the state level, based on their cost of living. Currently, New York State’s minimum wage is $8 per hour, and will automatically rise to $9 an hour at the end of the year.
What This Means Going Forward:
First and foremost, the state legislature would have to alter current law to allow localities to set their own wage, and under what terms. In the wake of the Governor’s announcement, state Senate Democrats are preparing legislation to raise the state minimum wage to $10.10 and allow localities to set their own wages. It would also automatically increase the wage in line with inflation. That would have to be followed by action at the local level, though comments by NYC’s city council members suggest that would not be long in coming.
Further Reading:
The New York Times and the AP report on the issue.
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