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Ballot Proposal to Raise Michigan's Minimum Wage Possible This Year

Representative David E. Rutledge
State of Michigan

Income inequality is expected to be one of the key topics in President Barack Obama's State of the Union Address, but the issue is making news in Michigan as well. 

SEE ALSO:  Campaign to seek Minimum Wage Hike in Michigan

A new ballot proposal committee is considering over the new few weeks if they will try to put a  question on the November ballot to raise Michigan's minimum wage. 

State Representative David Rutledge says an increase will help Michigan particularly the Ypsilanti area.  Rutledge says it may cost businesses more in salaries, but they will benefit as well through consumers having more money to spend on goods and services.
   
State Senator Bert Johnson has introduced legislation to raise Michigan's minimum wage to $10  per hour by 2016, but similar legislation never made it out of committee last session. 

Michigan's minimum wage has been $7.40 hourly, since 2008, but for tipped workers has remained at $2.65 since the early 1990's.

— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.

Like many, I first came to this area when I started school at the University of Michigan, then fell in love with the community and haven’t left. After graduating from U of M in the mid 1990’s I interned at WDET for several years, while also working a variety of jobs in Ann Arbor. Then in 1999 I joined the WEMU news team.
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