AUGUSTA — Democrats in the Maine House of Representatives on Thursday dealt a crucial blow to business groups looking to undercut a ballot initiative from progressive groups to raise the state’s hourly minimum wage to $12. The House voted 78-69 — with only one Republican, Rep. Kevin Battle of South Portland, joining majority Democrats except […]
minimum wage
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Maine business leaders pitch $12 minimum wage to Legislature
AUGUSTA — Calling Maine’s 2016 ballot question to raise the hourly minimum wage to $12 onerous, but also likely to pass, key business groups on Thursday lobbied Republican lawmakers to put a competing, lower increase before voters. Details of the effort are expected to be released at a Tuesday news conference, but the landscape for […]
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Posted inLetters
Raise minimum wage
This November, Maine voters will have at least one non-partisan referendum to vote on — raising Maine’s minimum wage. In 2014, Republicans enjoyed a very successful election across the country. Yet, even in perennial red states (Arkansas, South Dakota, Nebraska, Alaska) in an election that turned out large numbers of conservative voters, red state voters […]
Posted inMaine, sj-web
Portland elects Ethan Strimling as mayor, rejects $15 minimum wage
PORTLAND — There’s going to be a new mayor. Portland residents have chosen Ethan Strimling as the mayor of Maine’s largest city. Strimling defeated the city’s first elected mayor, incumbent Michael Brennan, along with Green Independent party leader Tom MacMillan. Strimling won with 51 percent of the vote on Tuesday. Brennan and Strimling sparred about […]
Posted inLetters
Changes to the minimum wage
I really don’t know what the minimum wage should be, but I believe it should be at least $10 per hour or more. People think that jobs in fast food businesses are easy, but how many people have worked full time at one? The employees have to be fast, accurate and pleasant the whole work […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Minimum wage plan lacks common sense
WASHINGTON — A while back — in January 1997, to be precise — I wrote a column on the euro, which was to be introduced in 1999. I didn’t find much to like. It was a “lunatic idea.” A single currency worked in the United States, “because wages are flexible and workers are mobile.” Europe […]
Posted inLetters
J. Jimino: The right steps on minimum wage hike
I believe that the minimum wage should be raised throughout Maine, but not to $15 per hour. It should actually be raised all across the country, but at most it should be between $10 and $11 per hour — based on the level of skill or work performance. If wages were raised to or above […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
Portland to continue debate on raising minimum wage
PORTLAND — The debate over pay will be waged again Monday, July 20, when the City Council will hold a public hearing on a “livable wage” ordinance. The council will choose between enacting an ordinance creating a $15 per hour minimum wage, sending the ordinance to the polls in November, or placing a competing measure […]
Posted inBusiness, sj-web
How tipped workers got a massive raise in Portland
PORTLAND — The local minimum wage hike to $10.10 per hour that Portland’s City Council passed Monday night will apply to tipped workers, as written, in apparent contradiction to what city officials intended. The ordinance is set to take effect Jan. 1, 2016. The outcome for tipped workers is the result of the somewhat confusing […]
Posted inMaine
LePage’s office releases 2 emails to show seniors fear minimum wage hike
In April, Gov. Paul LePage stood up at a monthly breakfast forum and told the crowd that seniors had demanded he stop the minimum wage from going up. They wrote him emails, he said, and in these missives they shared their fears that if the minimum wage rose, they wouldn’t be able to go out […]