Maine Considering Increased Minimum Wage

Voters could decide on whether to raise the state’s entry level wage to $10 or $12.

March 03, 2016

AUGUSTA, Maine – Maine voters might have the option of deciding what the state’s new minimum wage would be, as two questions relating to the entry-level wages might be on the November ballot, the Associated Press reports.

An initiative by Maine People’s Alliance proposes the current state minimum wage of $7.50 would be increased to $12 an hour, while business entities have a similar bill of an increase to $10 an hour. Chuck Lawrence, who owns Tradewinds Marketplace, which runs convenience stores, supermarkets and car washes, said that a $12 per hour minimum wage would lead to a reduction in staff and higher prices. “That kind of cost increase puts tremendous pressure on cash flow and being able to cover operating expenses,” he said.

The business group, which unveiled its plan yesterday, outlined bumping the minimum wage to $8.50 in 2017, followed by 50-cent yearly raises to reach $10 an hour by 2020. The Maine People’s Alliance proposal would start at $9 an hour in 2017, with annual bumps to reach $12 an hour by 2020.

The state legislators have a few options. Since the Maine People’s Alliance has enough signatures to put its plan on the ballot, the legislature could approve the bill outright or reject it (and thus move it to the ballot). Come November, voters could only vote for one of the two measures—or reject both of them.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement