Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced his proposal to increase the state minimum wage to $12 per hour this year.
Currently, Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, which was stuck since 2009. The states surrounding Pennsylvania have higher hourly minimum salary including Delaware ($8.75), Ohio ($8.55), New Jersey ($8.85), and Maryland ($10.10). In the State of New York, the hourly minimum wage ranges from $11.10 to $15 depending on the location and size of the companies.
Since last year, Wolf had been calling on the Pennsylvania lawmakers to pass legislation to raise the state’s minimum wage because it falling behind its neighbors.
His proposal will increase the earnings of one million workers and spur economic growth.
In a statement on Wednesday, Wolf said, “Pennsylvania must be a place where hard work is rewarded. But our minimum wage hasn’t changed in a decade and too many hardworking people are struggling to get by. Raising the minimum wage lets people afford the basics, like food, rent and transportation.”
