July 25th, 2014 by WCBC Radio
Maryland Sixth District Congressman John Delaney says he was encouraged to see his home state approve legislation that will increase the minimum wage- he is still pushing for a federal hike. Maryland will join 21 states that, along with the District of Columbia, have set a rate above the federal minimum wage. Only Connecticut has adopted a rate as high as $10.10, effective in 2017. The Maryland law will phase in the increase, raising the minimum wage from its current $7.25 to $8 Jan. 1 and $8.25 on July 1, 2015. Subsequent increases will bring it to $8.75 on July 1, 2016, $9.25 on July 1, 2017, and $10.10 on the same date in 2018. Delaney says that increasing the wage on a national level is one of the more effective ways to address the growing poverty rate