Connecticut's Democratic lawmakers are proposing an increase in the state's minimum wage starting on July 1 — a idea that Gov. Dannel Malloy simultaneously supports and is cautious about,according to the Hartford Courant.
The proposal, which was announced on Tuesday, includes an increase from $8.25 an hour to $9 an hour on July 1 followed by another increase in July 2013 to $9.75 an hour and linking the wage to the Consumer Price Index in order to keep in line with inflation.
"More families than ever are relying on low-wage and minimum wage jobs to make ends meet," House Speaker Christopher G. Donovan (D-Meriden) . "That leaves them struggling. While most job losses in the recession hit higher wage sectors like construction, manufacturing and finance hard, much of the new job growth has been concentrated disproportionately in low-wage industries."
Malloy's spokesperson Andrew Doba told the Courant that the governor supports a higher minimum wage, but is concerned about the effect it will have on businesses that are already struggling in a fragile economy.
Connecticut joins New York and Massachusetts on the list of states that are currently seeking an increase in minimum wages this year.
