By Alex Lloyd Gross
Delaware Valley News (PA), May 23, 2019
Several Elected officials in lower Bucks County paid a visit to Exact Solar in Newtown Township to discuss the minimum wage. That issue has been a political hot button and it appears that most of the republican opposition has softened their stance on keeping the minimum wage at $7.25 /hr.. Just how much the rate will jump depends on a lot of different factors in negotiations which will happen during June of this year. Currently Governor Wolf has proposed a rate to raise the minimum wage to $15.00/ hr by 2025. Some republicans like Sen. Michelle Brooks are pushing for $8.50 /hr, which is where the majority of low wage workers. already are. There are multiple rallys being held today, May 23, 2019 across the state.
Representative Perry Warren co sponsored legislation by Patty Kim and he was standing next to Dara and Mark Bortman as they spoke about the need to pay employees what they are worth. “I don’t have to spend time training new people, hiring them, my employees are valued and they want to stay. I don’t want them to worry about expenses like car repairs or anything else,” Dara Bortman said.
In the northern end of the state, Senator Michele Brooks was caught on camera advocating for $8.50/hr to a business group. “Chambers of Commerce” and business groups are doing most of the push back against a wage increase. When asked if the Bortmans belong to any, Mark Bortman admitted they do “But they have it wrong when you don’t treat people fairly. They will leave you in a heartbeat for .25 an hour more,” he said. The lowest paid employee at Exact Solar gets $15.00/hr. ...
Not every republican is against this. Gene DiGiralamo from Bensalem could not be at Exact Solar but he contacted Rep. Warren to send his support. When asked his feeling, he said “We have to do something, I think it should be at $15.00/hr.
Copyright 2019 Delaware Valley News