An unusual coalition of House members is playing a critical role that could determine the future of legislation that increases the state minimum wage.
Many liberal Democrats, most Republicans and the Progressives are challenging a decision made by House Democratic leaders.
The House originally passed a bill raising the rate to $10.10 an hour beginning in January of 2015. But the governor said this increase would go into effect too quickly and would hurt the state’s small business community, so he proposed that the $10.10 rate be phased in over a three-year period.
The Senate responded with a bill that increases the wage rate to $10.50 an hour over a four-year period.
The action then shifted back to the House, and Democratic leaders decided to support the governor’s approach. It was a move that angered many liberal Democrats, a lot of Republicans and the Progressive members of the House.
"But you know I am not inflexible on other ideas." Governor Peter Shumlin who says he is not threatening to veto the Senate minimum wage plan.
House Majority leader Willem Jewett said fighting with the governor over this issue could jeopardize passage of a bill this year and he urged House members to take the safe approach and support the governor’s three-year phase in plan.
“So we have a choice, we can send a message we can talk tough on the one hand,” said Jewett. “But I know for sure, we approve what the House General committee is bringing us, we will get a minimum wage increase.”
That comment drew the immediate response from Burlington Rep. Chris Pearson who heads the Progressive caucus in the House.
“We’ve been told we need to respect the committee process. I don’t believe in the hearts of the members of the committee this is what they want,” said Pearson. “I believe that people at a so called higher pay grade have asked us to do this today, and I don’t think that’s fair Mr. Speaker.”
House Republicans preferred the Senate’s approach and Stowe Republican Rep. Heidi Scheuermann said she doubted that the governor would veto the Senate’s plan.
“I think that if this body were to concur with the Senate proposal of amendment and it were to be sent to the governor I would be stunned if the governor were to veto a minimum wage increase,” said Scheuermann.
The governor helped resolve this issue. He says he likes his phased in plan the best, but he’s not drawing a line in the sand over this issue and he’s not threatening to veto the Senate bill.
“I personally think $10.10 over a three year period by 2017 is the way to go,” said Shumlin. “But you know, I’m not inflexible on other ideas.”
And Shumlin says he’s confident that the details of this bill can be worked out.
“This Legislature is going to get me a minimum wage bill, I’m convinced of it,” said Shumlin. “I won’t go home without it and I think it will be close to the proposal that we originally made.”
House Minority leader Don Turner threatened to block consideration of this bill unless Democratic leaders supported the Senate approach. Late Friday afternoon, the Democrats decided to take that action.
That means if the governor signs this bill, the minimum wage would go up roughly 40 cents an hour in each of the next four years.
