Panepinto: “It’s time to put a definitive end to this social injustice and give our hardworking families a fighting chance.”
(Long Island, NY) Senator Marc Panepinto (D-Buffalo) spoke today on hiscomprehensive income inequality legislation. The Senator’s bill – S.5602 – will incrementally raise the minimum wage and tipped wage by 2018 and ensure that future increases beyond then are tied to the rate of inflation. He issued the following statement outside the Senate Chamber:
“Income inequality is the number one problem that faces our democracy in this country. In Western New York and throughout New York State, it is no secret that the minimum wage currently serves as a poverty wage for too many struggling workers and hardworking families. My legislation will reverse this injustice by placing New York State at the forefront of the growing national movement against income inequality. My colleagues in the Assembly have already demonstrated their confidence in this life-changing legislation by passing it earlier this month. I implore my fellow lawmakers in the Senate to follow that lead and put a definitive end to this social injustice felt by so many millions.
Senator Panepinto’s Minimum Wage legislation accomplishes the following:
- Provide a higher minimum wage by increasing the statutory minimum wage in areas with a high cost of living over a period of three years
Increases would be broken down as follows:
- Dec. 31, 2016; $12.50 in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties and $10.50 in the rest of the State.
- Dec. 31, 2017; $13.75 in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties and $11.55 in the rest of the State.
- Dec. 31, 2018; $15.00 in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester Counties and $12.60 in the rest of the State
- Indexes the minimum wage to the rate of inflation on and after December 31, 2019
- Raises the tipped wage for workers over a period of three years to be broken down as follows:
- Dec. 31, 2016; $10.40 in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties and $8.75 in the rest of the state.
- Dec. 31, 2017; $11.45 in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties and $9.65 in the rest of the state.
- Dec. 31, 2018; $12.50 in New York City and Nassau, Suffolk, and Westchester counties and $10.50 in the rest of the state
- Indexes the tipped wage to the rate of inflation on and after December 31, 2019.
The Senator’s bill was already passed by the New York State Assembly.
Senator Panepinto represents the 60th Senate District, which includes parts of the City of Buffalo as well as communities in both the Northtowns and the Southtowns of Western New York.
