In a party-line vote this afternoon, Republicans on the Senate Commerce & Labor Committee defeated Senator Dave Marsden’s (D-Fairfax) SB 681, a bill to raise the minimum wage in Virginia to $10.10.
“The time has come to give hardworking Virginians a raise. If the minimum wage had kept up with inflation, it would be $10.55 today,” said Senator Marsden. “What many people don’t realize is that 75% of minimum wage earners are over the age of 20. They are supporting families. These aren’t a bunch of kids working their first job. In fact, the average age of our fast food workers is 28.”
“I was very disappointed by today’s outcome,” Senator Rosalyn Dance (D-Petersburg) said after the vote. “Research shows that 69% of Virginians favor increasing the minimum wage. More Virginians earning even just a little bit more income will drive up demand for goods and services across the Commonwealth — which will lift the economy and benefit nearly everyone. I am sorry my Republican colleagues do not recognize all of the positive impacts of this proposal.”
At the hearing, a number of hardworking Virginians testified about the struggles faced by Virginia’s minimum wage earners, and the huge impact that an increase in the minimum wage would have on them and the quality of life that they are able to provide for their families.
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