Maine officials debate minimum wage hike in contentious hearing

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There’s no question that the minimum wage is a hot topic in Maine these days.

There are currently eight bills in front of Maine lawmakers proposing an increase in the state’s minimum wage, according to local news station WABI. The bills have slight differences in the amount the wage will increase — ranging from $8 to $12 —  and as to whether or not it would be indexed to inflation.

But at a committee hearing Monday night, lawmakers were extremely divided.

“It’s absolutely time to do this, but it’s also in a time where young people are leaving the state, especially my generation, are leaving the state for better jobs, for better opportunities,” said Representative Dillon Bates, a Democrat who wants an $8 minimum wage.

Maine’s current minimum wage sits at $7.50, just above the federal level of $7.25.

“The problem with all of these minimum wage bills, they’re no doubt well intentioned,” Rep.Lawrence Lockman (R) explained,  “The problem is they are not going to help the very people they are intended to help. The Maine legislature has increased the minimum wage nine times in the past twenty years. It has never lifted a single person out of poverty.”

Lockman said that many businesses can’t absorb the shock of large increase like the $12 one that some of the bills propose.

“I think the free market will take care of this and if we made Maine a more attractive place for businesses, then naturally wages are going to go up and the minimum wage was never meant to be a living wage. It’s an entry level wage,” Lockman said. “Very, very few people earning minimum wage are over 25-years-old or head of household, so their priorities are very misplaced.”