300 Businesses and Business Organizations Send Letter Calling on Gov. Hochul and Legislature to Raise Minimum Wage to $21.25, then Index
As debate over raising the minimum wage in the state budget continues, over 300 businesses and business organizations across New York have signed a letter from New York Business for a Fair Minimum Wage calling on Gov. Hochul and the state legislature to incrementally raise the minimum wage to $21.25, with annual indexing, as called for in the Raise the Wage Act (S1978A/A2204A).
Supporters include business leaders across the state from Buffalo and the Finger Lakes to the Capital Region and the Hudson Valley to New York City and the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce – from industries including retail, service, restaurants, agriculture, manufacturing and more. Business owners say raising and then indexing the state minimum wage will boost consumer spending, strengthen New York’s workforce and businesses, and help build a more resilient economy.
Examples of signers include:
- Phil Andrews, president of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce
- Michael Lastoria, founder and CEO of &pizza with three locations in New York City
- Annie Adams, owner of Second Chic, a clothing store with two locations in Buffalo
- Jessica Galen, owner of Bloomy Cheese & Provisions in Dobbs Ferry
- Aaron Seyedian, owner of Well-Paid Maids in New York City
- Josh Thompson-Coletto, owner of Nighthawks Restaurant & Bar in Troy
- Jennifer Walls, owner of The Sweet Praxis bakery in Syracuse
- Scott Tillitt, founder of BEAHIVE coworking spaces in Albany, Beacon, Cold Spring and Newburgh
- Freddy Castiblanco, owner of Terraza 7 restaurant and performance venue in Queens
- James Moore, president of SunCommon in Kingston
- J. Crispin Brotherton, owner of Brotherton Construction in Ithaca
- Zoila Collado, owner of Zoila Boutique in Middletown
The growing list of supporters in the New York Business for a Fair Minimum Wage Coalition is regularly updated online.
The Raise the Wage Act (S1978A and A2204A), sponsored by Senate Labor Committee Chair Jessica Ramos and Assembly Labor Committee Chair Latoya Joyner, would increase New York’s minimum wage as follows:
- In New York City, Long Island and Westchester it would increase to $17.25 on January 1, 2024; $19.25 in 2025; $21.25 in 2026; and $21.25 plus indexing starting in 2027.
- In the rest of the state it would increase to $16 on Jan. 1, 2024; $18 in 2025; $20 in 2026; and $21.25 plus indexing starting in 2027.
The minimum wage increases in the Raise the Wage Act have very strong public support across the state, with 80% of New Yorkers supporting, according to a poll by Data for Progress. The MIT Living Wage Calculator says a full-time worker with no children needs to make $21.46/hour to meet basic expenses in New York State.
