Federal Minimum Wage 2007

NH fights over minimum wage

Gov. John Lynch's recent veto of a House bill to repeal the state's minimum wage law created a unique ideological role reversal. Republican House Speaker William O'Brien defended the bill by saying the state should follow federal minimum wage guidelines and the four-term Democratic governor took a state's rights stand, saying the state should keep its options open.

"This legislation would make New Hampshire one of only a handful of states that completely defer to the federal government and do not independently establish their own minimum wage laws," Lynch said. "I do not support turning over complete authority to the federal government to determine what makes sense for our citizens or our businesses."

"With this veto, the governor is sending exactly the wrong message to employers that New Hampshire is going to make it harder to create jobs," O'Brien said in response. "There is no reason for New Hampshire to set ourselves higher than the national average and make ourselves less competitive for these workers who need to gain experience."

The legislation, House Bill 133, would not change the current federal rate of $7.25 an hour, which has been in place since July 2009. It would repeal a 2007 measure that gave New Hampshire the option of raising the minimum wage, which it did by raising the state rate of $7.25 in 2008 ahead of the federal rate. The bill passed the House and Senate by veto proof majorities but Lynch vetoed the bill anyway. "New Hampshire's current minimum wage is set at the federal level, and it is appropriate," Lynch said. "But four years ago, we agreed that — after a decade of federal inaction — we needed to act to help families meet rising costs."

New Hampshire has the lowest minimum wage in New England. Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont are among 13 states that have higher minimum wages than the federal rate — Maine's rate is $7.50 an hour, Massachusetts is at $8 an hour, and Vermont is $8.15 an hour.

The political and economic debate over the minimum wage has been constant since it was first set in 1938 at 25 cents an hour. Even though New Hampshire is even with the federal standard, O'Brien said Lynch's veto was an "anti-business" measure that would take "an ax to the bottom rung of the career ladder" for minimum wage workers.

Dennis Delay, an economist with the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, said the value of the minimum wage — which does not affect tipped employees and agricultural workers who work at different wage levels — is determined by what the goals are. The debate between economists across the political spectrum ranges from potential job losses due to increased costs for employers to increased income for people in lower income brackets.

N.H. fights over minimum wage | SeacoastOnline.com

Gov. John Lynch's recent veto of a House bill to repeal the state's minimum wage law created a unique ideological role reversal. Republican House Speaker William O'Brien defended the bill by saying the state should follow federal minimum wage guidelines and the four-term Democratic governor took a state's rights stand, saying the state should keep its options open.

"This legislation would make New Hampshire one of only a handful of states that completely defer to the federal government and do not independently establish their own minimum wage laws," Lynch said. "I do not support turning over complete authority to the federal government to determine what makes sense for our citizens or our businesses."

"With this veto, the governor is sending exactly the wrong message to employers that New Hampshire is going to make it harder to create jobs," O'Brien said in response. "There is no reason for New Hampshire to set ourselves higher than the national average and make ourselves less competitive for these workers who need to gain experience."

The legislation, House Bill 133, would not change the current federal rate of $7.25 an hour, which has been in place since July 2009. It would repeal a 2007 measure that gave New Hampshire the option of raising the minimum wage, which it did by raising the state rate of $7.25 in 2008 ahead of the federal rate. The bill passed the House and Senate by veto proof majorities but Lynch vetoed the bill anyway. "New Hampshire's current minimum wage is set at the federal level, and it is appropriate," Lynch said. "But four years ago, we agreed that — after a decade of federal inaction — we needed to act to help families meet rising costs."

New Hampshire has the lowest minimum wage in New England. Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont are among 13 states that have higher minimum wages than the federal rate — Maine's rate is $7.50 an hour, Massachusetts is at $8 an hour, and Vermont is $8.15 an hour.

The political and economic debate over the minimum wage has been constant since it was first set in 1938 at 25 cents an hour. Even though New Hampshire is even with the federal standard, O'Brien said Lynch's veto was an "anti-business" measure that would take "an ax to the bottom rung of the career ladder" for minimum wage workers.

Dennis Delay, an economist with the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies, said the value of the minimum wage — which does not affect tipped employees and agricultural workers who work at different wage levels — is determined by what the goals are. The debate between economists across the political spectrum ranges from potential job losses due to increased costs for employers to increased income for people in lower income brackets.

Congressional Record, V. 153, Pt. 2, January 18, 2007 to February 1, 2007

Congressional Record, V. 153, Pt. 1, January 4, 2007 to January 17, 2007

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