Gov. LePage orders Department of Labor not to enforce minimum wage law

In a media statement released on Wednesday, Maine Governor Paul LePage announced that his administration will refuse to enforce a portion of the minimum wage law passed by referendum in November. According to the announcement, the Maine Department of Labor “will not bring enforcement actions against any employer who fails to comply” with an increase from $3.75 to $5 an hour in the base wage paid to workers, like restaurant servers, who also receive tips.

These employers would still be in violation of state law during the period of non-enforcement in January and could face civil penalties, as LePage can’t unilaterally roll back the minimum wage increase, which passed by a double-digit margin.

The governor’s actions earned quick condemnation from advocates for raising the minimum wage and Democratic leaders.

http://mainebeacon.com/gov-lepage-orders-department-of-labor-not-to-enforce-minimum-wage-law/

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LePage says Mainers didn’t understand referendum questions

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Republican Gov. Paul LePage says he will propose slashing the income tax rate to lessen the impact of a new income surtax and minimum wage hike that Mainers approved this month.

The idea will be in LePage’s budget proposal due in January. In a letter to legislators, LePage said Maine voters didn’t understand the specifics of ballot questions they approved to raise the minimum wage and directly fund schools through a new surtax on individual Maine taxable income above $200,000.

LePage said the tax would make Maine’s income tax the second highest in the nation, and claimed the wage hike would increase prices and slash restaurant servers’ pay.

LePage proposes removing the income tax on pensions, reduce the cost of medications and make it harder to foreclose on elderly homeowners.

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Dems adopt $15 minimum wage in platform draft

Democrats' platform drafting committee took a first step toward giving Bernie Sanders a major concession, voting to adopt language in support of a $15 minimum wage. 

The committee, which will continue drafting the party's guiding document Saturday, also aligned itself with Sanders's support for progressive ideas such as abolishing the death penalty and expanding Social Security, the Associated Press reported. The minimum wage language adopted echoes a common refrain by Sanders, who has called the current federal minimum of $7.25 a "starvation wage."

But an amendment from Sanders backer Rep. Keith Ellison (Minn.) to strengthen the language supporting a $15 minimum wage and index it to grow with inflation was shot down. 

The platform also tackles financial reform, calling for "an updated and modernized version of Glass-Steagall."

Sanders has refused to suspend his campaign and endorse Clinton despite the fact that she has clinched the nomination. He has turned his focus to instilling progressive ideas into the party's platform — the party adopting proposals in support of a $15 minimum wage and free college tuition could factor into Sanders's potential support of Clinton. 

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/284888-dems-adopt-15-minimum-wage-in-draft-platform

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