Jim Gearhart Interviews Steve Sweeney on Minimum Wage Debate [AUDIO]

State Senate President Steve Sweeney called into Jim's show today (9/25) to discuss the plan of asking voters in the 2013 State Election to raise the minimum wage.

The plan would be to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50. Sweeney is pushing the idea to let the voters decide as a Constitutional Amendment as to whether the wage hike should pass or not.

Sweeney noted that NJ would not be the first state to raise the minimum wage through a cost of living increase based on the CPI. Seven other states, including Arizona and Florida, have done this in the past and it has boosted their local economy.  This plan, in NJ, would raise the standard of living for everyone in the state. Although, as Jim noted, this would only affect 2.4% of the state work force.

Sweeney went on to state that asking putting it on the ballot for voters to decide would give employers time to plan for it, bringing predictability and more stability to the issue.

You can listen to the entire interview in the audio player below:

[Audio://townsquare.media/site/385/files/2012/09/|titles=Steve Sweeney Interview.mp3]

Are you for or against a minimum wage hike? Leave your comments below.