Will Pennsylvania Finally Raise the Minimum Wage?
BY SHELBY BOWMAN
Governor Josh Shapiro spoke about raising the Pennsylvania minimum wage to $15.00 an hour during a budget address in Harrisburg on Tuesday.
The proposal comes as a result of the Governor’s belief that Pennsylvania is falling behind neighboring states. All six states bordering Pennsylvania have minimum wages above the federal threshold, with states like Maryland and New York at or above $15.00 an hour.
“It’s been stuck at $7.25/hour for the last 16 years,” Governor Shapiro said. “In that time, every single one of our neighboring states has raised the minimum wage for their workers.”
In 2023 a bill to raise the minimum wage was passed by the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, but has yet to be voted on by the Senate. A similar effort was made in 2019 to gradually raise the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour by 2022, but failed.
One of the major arguments by Republicans against increasing the minimum wage is that it will harm small businesses by increasing the cost of goods and eliminating jobs. The Governor believes the current minimum wage is already hurting businesses.
“Pennsylvania workers living in border counties would rather drive into another state for work so they can earn a higher wage than take a job at home,” Governor Shapiro also said in the address.
Pennsylvania is one of 20 states where $7.25 is still the minimum wage despite the cost of living increasing more every year. Additionally, several major cities across the country have minimum wages above the federal standard. However in Pennsylvania, state law prevents local governments around the state from setting their own minimum wage that would reflect the cost of living in that area.
This heavily impacts residents of large cities like Philadelphia, where the cost of living is much higher than in other parts of the state. The Keystone Research Center estimates 43,000 people in Philadelphia County would benefit from a higher minimum wage.
“I just bought milk earlier and some eggs and it was way too expensive. If prices for products are going to continue to rise then they should accommodate us by raising our wages. Even if it’s just 1 or 2 dollars,” said Isaac Bowman of Philadelphia County. “Even just being able to save $25-$40 would go a long way for most people. Especially people who support families.”
It remains to be seen whether the legislation will pass in the state Senate and become law. Residents across the state can reach out to their local representatives to voice their opinions on this critical issue. You can find the respective of your township and county on the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s website.