Assembly approves $12.60 minimum wage in NY

The state Assembly last night approved a bill that would increase the minimum wage in New York City and its suburbs, including Westchester County, to $15 an hour by the end of 2018 and to $12.60 statewide.

The proposal, which Assembly Democrats have supported for months, faces a likely demise in the Republican-led Senate, which has balked at increasing the minimum wage. The current minimum wage is $8.75 an hour and headed to $9 an hour by year's end.

“Lack of wage growth is the biggest problem in the New York economy, and it's clear today that Speaker (Carl) Heastie and the Assembly Majority are tackling the problem head on," Michael Kink, executive director of Strong Economy for All Coalition, a union-backed group, said in a statement.

The bill would raise the statewide minimum wage to $10.50 an hour by the end of next year and to $12.50 an hour in New York City, on Long Island and Westchester counties.

The following year, it would go to $11.55 statewide and $13.75 in the metropolitan area, And by the end of 2018, the minimum wage would be $12.60 statewide and $15 in the city and its suburbs. After that, increases would tied to the rate of inflation.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo in his budget address Jan. 21 proposed a minimum wage of $10.50 in New York and $11.50 in New York City by the end of next year. His proposal, however, gained little traction during budget talks, which ended March 31.

But New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his allies want it to go to $15 an hour, citing the high cost of living in the city. The legislative session runs until June 17.

"I applaud the New York State Assembly for passing this legislation, and strongly urge the State Senate to follow their lead in giving New Yorkers the wages, benefits, and opportunities they deserve," de Blasio said in a statement. "There is no immediate step to confronting inequality that would be more powerful than raising the minimum wage."

Business groups are opposed to the increase, saying it would hurt small companies, in particular, and lead to job cuts.

"Current law calls for the minimum wage to reach $9 an hour by the end of this year. We’ve yet to fully implement and study the current wage hike and already the advocates are pushing for more," the state Business Council said in a statement.