KY Lege to Push for $10 Minimum Wage

Back before 2000, when repugs took over the state senate, this would be a gimme. Even in the still-Democratic-but-only-barely House, a handful of Conservadems could kill it, leadership be damned.

But given the vulnerability of the House Democrats' thin 54-46 majority, the best thing to come out of this effort might be finally lighting a fire under uninspired Democratic voters in November.

Jack Brammer at the Herald:

Raising Kentucky's minimum wage to $10.10 an hour will be the top priority of House Democrats in the legislative session that starts Tuesday, House Speaker Greg Stumbo said Friday. He also is mulling a possible constitutional amendment that would ask voters to approve raising the state's 6-cent sales tax by a penny to provide more money for education.

Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said House Bill 1 would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour over three years and deal with pay equity problems. It would mirror a bill now under consideration in Congress, Stumbo said.

His comments received no support from Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, as the legislature's top two leaders talked to reporters Friday about the upcoming legislative session.

Keep it up, Bobby-boy. Keep repeating to Kentuckians that their repug senators and reps want to keep them poor.

Because Democratic candidates are going to spend the entire 2014 campaign vilifying every single repug who votes against giving a raise to the Commonwealth's most deserving workers.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/01/03/3016377/stumbo-announces-push-to-raise.html#storylink=cpy