In Rhode Island, both the House and the Senate approved hikes to the state’s minimum wage on Thursday.
Under the legislation, the current $15-an-hour minimum wage would go up to $16 next year and $17 in 2027.
Providence State Rep. David Morales says while he supports the wage hike, $17-an-hour works out to just under $36,000 a year.
“The raises that we are putting towards this minimum wage is far from a living wage,” Morales said on the House floor, “but that is more reason that we have to ensure that the lowest-wage earners have some opportunity for economic mobility.”
Some opponents of the minimum wage increase say it will raise costs for small businesses and could lead to layoffs.
Burrillville Republican Rep. David Place went further, saying the minimum wage hike is a response to poor public education in Rhode Island.
“We don’t educate our kids properly, so they can’t make a fair, livable wage,” Place said. “So instead, what do we do? We artificially inflate it because we don’t educate them properly.”
The House and Senate bills must be approved by the other respective chamber before they head to Gov. Dan McKee’s desk.
