Politics & Government
Graf Votes Nay On Minimum Wage Increase
Assemblyman from Holbrook sites negative impact to job seekers, businesses and overall economic growth.
New York State Assemblyman Al Graf (R,C,I-Holbrook) was one of only 44 members to vote no on Tuesday's measure to increase the minimum wage in New York from $7.25 to $9.
The new legislation sailed through the Assembly 102-44. Despite being outnumbered Graf cited his reasons for voting down the bill in a release yesterday, describing the bill as "detrimental" to the economy.
“This proposed legislation does nothing to improve our economy, nor does it help the people who are making the current minimum wage with the financial problems they currently face. On the contrary, this poorly-drafted legislation hurts the people that the authors purport to be helping. It will result in fewer jobs, eliminate summer and school employment opportunities for young people and further strain the budgets of local businesses that are finding it harder and harder to survive.
“Further, this bill will serve to increase the cost of products and services to the consumer. This is the wrong time for this legislation in light of our present economy. As government officials, we must be careful to examine all of the pitfalls associated with the submission of new legislation, especially when we consider the fragile state of our present economy.”
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The Democrat-majority Assembly passed the bill to raise the minimum wage to $9 and attach automatic annual increases that would coincide with the rate of inflation.
Graf added that the bill will likely not take effect because it derived strictly out of the Assembly.
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“Unless the senate and the governor get on board with this specific bill, all it amounts to is a nice, little press release for its supporters,” Graf stated. Video of Graf arguing his points can be viewed here.
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