Happy Election Year! Senate passes bill to raise minimum wage

[UrbScotty]

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4610561

The state Senate unanimously approved legislation Thursday that would boost the state's minimum wage to $6.95 in October, a $1.80 increase. The minimum would rise to $7.40 an hour by July 2008.

So why the flip-flop on the part of Senate Repubs? It's all about the ballot initiative, and the fact that they're vulnerable in the upcoming election cycle.

"It's a factor in the decision making - there's no question about it," Sikkema said of the petition drive.

<snip>

The bill now goes to the GOP-controlled House, which could vote on it early next week. A spokesman said Republican House Speaker Craig DeRoche of Novi doesn't support raising the minimum wage but favors the legislation over the petition drive. The House likely will vote for the bill as a way to pre-empt the ballot measure, Matt Resch said.

So is the ballot issue dead? NO. We must keep collecting signatures to put this in the state Constitution.

But they also noted the bill wouldn't put the wage language in the state constitution, meaning increases could be repealed in the future. If voters approved raising the minimum wage in the state constitution, it would take another statewide vote to repeal the increase.

[1gobluedem]

1. Another example of election year grandstanding

Should the GOP retain control of the legislature, they will make repealing this legislation their first priority.

[UrbScotty]

2. Hence the thread title "Happy Election Year!"

It's also yet another reason to support Granholm and state Dems: Granholm will veto any such legislation.

[Lefty48197]

3. We have the Republicans on the run

Never in history has any Republican dominated body voted to increase a minimum wage, let alone increase it by 44%, and let alone vote unanimously. This is a 180 degree turn around from all their whining crying rhetoric against raising the minimum wage in years past. "It'll cost jobs, it'll run the economy into the ground, it won't help any families" blah blah blah blah blah. The Republicans have always fought and voted against any increase in the minumum wage.
The only reason they voted for this bill was that polls were showing up to 80% of Michigan voters supporting the ballot initiative. They're hoping they will steal an issue away from Democrats, and keep our voters home on election day.
The "Big Enchilada" is still at stake via the ballot initiative. The initiative will write mandatory minimum wage increases into the state Constitution, so that future Republican legislatures won't be able to stifle wage increases.

While I applaud this wage increase, the most important issue of all is the mandatory cost of living allowance "COLA" wage increases which the ballot initiative will mandate. That will take the issue out of the hands of right wingers who have stolen our state Government away from us.

Power to the people...

[Bozita]

4. Sign and circulate those petitions. Take nothing for granted.

[skipos]

6. Where is the petition? nt

[UrbScotty]

7. Order on the Michigan Needs a Raise website

http://www.mineedsaraise.com/petitions.htm

[TahitiNut]

5. The GOP legislators don't want the voter turnout a ballot measure would

... generate. When voter turnout is high, the GOP loses - even more so with the fascist clusterfuck in D.C.

[Lefty48197]

8. I posted this topic in GD too

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x630480