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State's Minimum Wages on the Rise - 1/7/16

A few years ago, the idea of a fifteen dollar per hour minimum wage in America would have been considered highly unlikely.  But following the examples established by San Francisco and Seattle, fourteen cities, counties and state governments have already approved a high to fifteen dollars in their local minimum hourly pay according to the National Employment Law Project. 

As reported by CNNMoney, lawmakers in thirteen states and cities, including California, New York and Washington, D.C., have proposed legislation and ballot measures calling for a fifteen dollar minimum that will receive consideration this year.  In most places, the increase to fifteen dollars is being phased in over a few years to supply employers with time to adjust. 

In California and Massachusetts, the minimum wage will rise by one dollar this year to ten dollars per hour.  In Chicago, the minimum wage will rise by fifty cents per hour to ten dollars and fifty cents. 

In Maryland, the minimum wage will rise by seventy five cents to eight dollars and seventy five cents per hour.  In Montgomery and Prince George’s County, Maryland, however, the minimum wage will rise by one dollar and twenty cents to ten dollars and seventy five cents per hour.

Anirban Basu, Chariman Chief Executive Officer of Sage Policy Group (SPG), is one of the Mid-Atlantic region's leading economic consultants. Prior to founding SPG he was Chairman and CEO of Optimal Solutions Group, a company he co-founded and which continues to operate. Anirban has also served as Director of Applied Economics and Senior Economist for RESI, where he used his extensive knowledge of the Mid-Atlantic region to support numerous clients in their strategic decision-making processes. Clients have included the Maryland Department of Transportation, St. Paul Companies, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Players Committee and the Martin O'Malley mayoral campaign.