With the strong backing of labor, the New Jersey Assembly voted Thursday to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour within five years.
New Jersey State AFL-CIO along with its affiliates and community partners have led the fight to raise the minimum wage on behalf of workers struggling to make ends meet while working a full-time job. A $15 minimum wage will help uplift all workers in this high-cost state and will stimulate the economy by giving those at the bottom of the economic ladder more money to spend on groceries and clothing.
We thank the legislators who sponsored the bill in the Assembly – Speaker Vincent Prieto and Assemblymen John Wisniewski and Gary Schaer – and the members of the Assembly who supported working families by voting for the bill.
The vote of 42-31-1 was mostly along party lines, with all Republicans present opposing the bill and most Democrats present supporting it. However, the following Democrats voted ‘no’: Bob Andrzejczak (D-1), Joann Downey (D-11), Eric Houghtaling (D-11), Bruce Land (D-1), Vincent Mazzeo (D-2) and Andrew Zwicker (D-16). Democrat Joe Danielson (D-17) abstained and six members were absent and did not vote.
Please CLICK HERE to see how your representatives voted.
We also thank everyone who urged their legislator to support the bill, and remind anyone who hasn’t done so yet to please CLICK HERE to take action before the upcoming Senate vote.
Both houses of the Legislature approved an Atlantic City rescue package giving leaders of the resort city 150 days to develop a long-term plan to stabilize the municipal budget. The legislators also voted to establish a Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program to address the city’s dire fiscal situation brought about by losses in property value due to casino closings. Both bills passed easily, and now go to the governor for a signature.
See how your Senator and Assembly members voted by CLICKING HERE.