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Maine House Rejects Bill To Roll Back Voter-Approved Minimum Wage Increase

The Maine House of Representatives Thursday rejected a proposal to roll back the minimum wage increase approved by voters two years ago.

The proposal would reduce the annual increases in Maine’s minimum wage from $1 a year to 50 cents per year, and would cap the increase at $11 per hour instead of $12 by 2021.

Rep. Kent Ackley, an independent from Monmouth, opposed the bill. “Here we are again, Madam Speaker. Another proposal to substantially undo a vote by the citizens of Maine.”

Supporters of the proposal say that small businesses can’t afford the current minimum wage, let alone the increases set out in the voter-approved law. 

“We need to slow down the wage increase and search for solutions for the nursing homes and the direct care worker organizations that are telling us they are struggling with these rapid increases,” said Rep. Joel Stekis, a Republican from Canaan.

The House vote was 81 to 69. The Senate has yet to consider the proposal.

Journalist Mal Leary spearheads Maine Public's news coverage of politics and government and is based at the State House.