Minimum Wage Debate, Health Insurance Increase Now Part of Budget Deal
New York policymakers are haggling over a budget deal.
A potential minimum wage hike and health insurance price increases were struck from the final budget deal, said NFIB State Director Mike Durant.
NFIB and a coalition of other pro-business groups oppose a minimum wage hike. Durant said the true economic impact of the 2013 wage increase, which calls for a final hike in December of this year, has not been fully examined.
Durant told the Albany Business Review that the governor’s budget maintains the “status quo,” and doesn’t help small business owners.
“Our goal now switches to make this temporary victory into a permanent one and to continue our advocacy for the next three months,” he said.
Cuomo’s plan calls for an $11.50 an hour minimum wage in New York City, but some in the Assembly wanted a higher statewide rate, too.
Durant testified that NFIB studies show that 28,000 jobs could be lost, along with $1 billion in economic output, if the Assembly passes a minimum wage hike.
