A top Cuomo administration official came to Rochester Friday to continue their push for an increase in the minimum wage. New York’s Secretary of State, Cesar Perales gathered at TruForm manufacturing in Rochester with some local business leaders who back an increase in that minimum wage. Perales says it’s only fair.
“We will lift over 100,000 New Yorkers out of poverty, these are folks who are working full time, earning a salary, and still living below the poverty line.”
New York State’s minimum wage is currently $8.75 an hour and is scheduled to go up to nine dollars at the end of the year. Cuomo is proposing a hike to $10.50 by the end of next year.
Some business organizations have argued that another minimum wage increase would harm small businesses and force some of them to cut jobs or workers’ hours.
Perales says he realizes some business groups have pushed back against a further increase in the wage, but he says he recently spoke with some restaurant owners who believe paying workers more will increase their productivity.
The President of TruForm, Tyrone Reaves, says he supports the hike in the minimum wage overall, and notes he already pays his workers more than the minimum wage. But he did have some concerns about how it might affect his company’s summer hiring of students.
