A BILL RAISING NEW MEXICO’S MINIMUM WAGE TO 12 DOLLARS AN HOUR BY THE YEAR 2021 HAS WON APPROVAL IN A HOUSE COMMITTEE. NOT EVERYONE LIKES THE IDEA. CAROL WIGHT, THE C-E-O OF THE NEW MEXICO RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, SAYS A PARTICULARLY HARMFUL PROVISION IN THE BILL WOULD REMOVE A LOWER ALLOWABLE WAGE FOR TIPPED EMPLOYEES. SHE SAYS A SMALL RESTAURANT WITH 10 FULL TIME SERVERS WOULD PAY AN EXTRA 166,400 DOLLARS IN ADDITIONAL PAYROLL A YEAR. SHE SAYS THAT WOULD MEAN THAT BUSINESS WOULD HAVE TO RAISE PRICES.
GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM IS ALSO NOT INFLUENCED BY CRITICS OF THIS BILL. IT’S BEEN TEN YEARS SINCE THE STATE LAST INCREASED ITS MINIMUM WAGE, AND SUPPORTERS SAY IT’S TIME THAT LOW WAGE EARNERS GOT A RAISE.
