Opinion: Senator Steve Santarsiero
For the third time in four years, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a bill raising the minimum wage. The bill is currently in the Senate for the third time and is awaiting consideration.
The question is no longer whether we should raise the minimum wage. The question is why we haven’t done it yet.
Since 2009, the minimum wage in Pennsylvania has remained at $7.25 per hour. Over the last 17 years, the cost of living has increased dramatically. We all feel it in our wallets and see it in our budgets: housing, groceries, child care and transportation all cost more. However, wages at the lowest level have been frozen in time.
Meanwhile, each of our neighboring countries has moved forward. New Jersey, New York, Delaware and Maryland have enacted higher minimum wages, and some have already reached or approached $15 an hour. Even West Virginia exceeded Pennsylvania’s $8.75 an hour wage floor. The result is straightforward: as a country, we are less competitive, both for workers and for companies that want to attract and retain a stable workforce.
It’s not just a matter of honesty. It’s a matter of economic competitiveness.
Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians would directly benefit from an boost in the minimum wage. These are not abstract numbers; these are our neighbors, domestic helpers, childminders, retail workers, catering workers. These are people who work tough every day and still struggle to make ends meet.
When wages for working families rise, that money doesn’t end up in the bank account. It is published in local communities. The funds are used for grocery shopping in local stores, meals in local restaurants and services provided by tiny businesses. Raising the minimum wage does more than just lend a hand individual workers. It’s about strengthening our entire economy from the ground up.
Raising the minimum wage isn’t the right solution for more than just Pennsylvania families. This is a shrewd way to save taxpayers money and strengthen our economy. When workers earn a living wage, they are better able to support themselves and are less dependent on government programs, helping to get more people off public assistance and lower costs for taxpayers, including multimillion-dollar Medicaid spending.
The legislation passed by the House takes a balanced approach, gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2029. This phased schedule gives companies time to adapt while also providing long-awaited relief to workers who have waited more than a decade for the changes.
The 1995 law ties Pennsylvania legislators’ pay to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), ensuring that their wages keep pace with inflation. This adjustment occurs automatically every year unless lawmakers choose to freeze it. The same courtesy has not been extended to those working minimum wage in our state. Legislation passed by the House would finally correct this imbalance by indexing the minimum wage to the CPI after 2029 so that it reflects the real cost of living. If we believe that rising costs justify regular pay raises for those in government, we should extend the same basic fairness to the hardworking Pennsylvanians who are the backbone of our economy.
According to the Keystone Research Center, 11% of our workforce, or 38,000 workers, in Bucks County would benefit from a $15 minimum wage. 26% of them are employees over 40 years of age, and 20% are parents. The impact of this bill is not abstract, it is real and concrete for our neighbors who deserve a living wage. This is real and concrete for our local businesses who would see the economic impact of higher wages spent right here in Bucks County.
The House has done its job. Three times. The path forward is clear.
It’s time for Senate Republican leaders to put the issue to a vote, something they refused to do on the previous two bills. Senate Democrats are ready and willing to make progress on this issue. Pennsylvanians deserve to know where officials choose to stand on an issue that directly impacts their livelihoods.
Hard work should be rewarded with fair pay. Right now, Pennsylvania is lagging behind and we cannot afford to wait any longer to catch up.
