By Chris Ullery, Bucks County Courier Times
Herald Mail, Jan 21, 2021
Democratic lawmakers heard from advocates, academics and business groups Monday on a renewed push to give minimum wage workers in Pennsylvania a raise to $15 an hour. Over 100 people attended the Zoom hearing on minimum wage hosted by the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, covering a broad range of topics over three hours.
The state has used the $7.25-per-hour federal minimum wage since 2009, a wage that many lawmakers and advocates say is unlivable and perpetuates poverty. ...
Testimony from members of groups like the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, and Bucks County Women's Advocacy Coalition said a raise for low-income earners is needed now more than ever. ...
Sen. Steve Santarsiero, D-10, of Lower Makefield, said he believed many minimum wage workers had multiple jobs, skewing claims of overall job loss.
Alissa Barron-Menza, vice president of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, supported that claim, saying job loss from wage increases was more akin to a "consolidation" to a single job. ...
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