ALBANY – STATE SEN. JULIA Salazar is set to announce her Living Wage for All legislation on Tuesday at a rally in Albany, joined by state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, other lawmakers and advocates. Salazar’s bill would establish a $30 statewide minimum wage, tied to the cost of living. Another bill in the legislative package would eliminate the tipped minimum wage for restaurant workers.
Supporters say the dramatic hike in the minimum wage, currently set at $16 statewide and $17 in the metro area, is necessary to help low-wage workers keep up with skyrocketing costs.
Opponents argue that the increase in wages would lead to inflation and would cause small businesses to struggle.
Research into an earlier proposal to raise the minimum wage for human services workers to $29 indicated that while the measure could cost the state $11 billion, it could generate between $14 and $23 billion in economic activity, as well as nearly $1 billion in increased tax revenue.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, an ally of Salazar, has endorsed the idea of a $30 minimum wage in New York City by 2030, according to City & State.
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