Boston Globe (AP): News and notes from the campaign trail

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Boston Globe (AP): News and notes from the campaign trail

AP June 07, 2006

New Britain, CT - Democratic gubernatorial hopeful John DeStefano said Tuesday that he supports legislation that would automatically increase the state's minimum wage based on the cost of living.

DeStefano, the mayor of New Haven, said indexing the minimum wage to inflation will help families keep up with their expenses.

"Today in Connecticut, people are working their way into poverty," DeStefano said outside an Italian eatery in New Britain, surrounded by some restaurant workers and a contingent of legislators. He referred to his plan as "a moral minimum wage."

The legislature's Office of Legislative Research estimates that about 39,000 workers in Connecticut earn the minimum wage, currently $7.40 an hour. It is scheduled to increase to $7.65 next Jan. 1.

Lawmakers said it's a challenge to continue passing bills that raise the wage. They said it would be easier to have an automatic increase tied to the rate of inflation. For example, if inflation increases by 2 percent, the wage would increase by 2 percent. Lawmakers did not rule out trying to increase the base rate in the future.

Washington, Oregon and Florida already index their minimum wages to inflation. Vermont is schedule to do so next year.

DeStefano is facing an Aug. 8 primary against Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy, who received the Democratic nomination at last month's party convention.