ST. PAUL, MN – Today, State Representative Tom Anzelc (DFL – Balsam Township) announced plans to introduce a constitutional amendment during the 2014 legislative session that would raise Minnesota’s minimum wage to $10 per hour in 2015 and tie future increases to the rate of inflation.
The question that voters would answer on the 2014 General Election ballot reads as follows:
“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to establish a minimum wage at a rate of at least $10 per hour that is increased each year by the rate of inflation?”
The method of calculating inflation would be attached to the annual implicit price deflator rate prepared each year by the U.S. Department of Commerce for use by local governments and municipalities.
“I think political gamesmanship prevents our legislature from making progress on bread and butter economic issues far too often,” said Anzelc. “My amendment is an effective way to cut through the bickering and give hard-working Minnesotans more security so they can provide for themselves and their families. This is about doing right by the people.”
Voters in New Jersey approved a similar measure earlier this month with over 60 percent support. If Anzelc’s amendment makes it on the ballot and is approved by voters, Minnesota would become the sixth state to add a minimum wage to its constitution and the 12th to implement automatic hikes, according to data maintained by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Anzelc says his constitutional amendment is one of two routes to raising Minnesota’s minimum wage, the other being a bill carried by State Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL – Golden Valley), who chairs the House Select Committee on Living Wage Jobs.