PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The two major Democratic candidates for Rhode Island governor both agree the state needs to raise its minimum wage - but they have slightly different plans on when to do it.
Providence Mayor Angel Taveras on Thursday proposed gradually raising the wage from $8 per hour to $10.10 in 2018. After that, future increases would be automatically tied to the cost of living.
Hours later, Treasurer Gina Raimondo said she’d too like to raise the wage to $10.10 - but by next year.
Meanwhile, Republican candidates Ken Block and Allan Fung oppose a minimum wage increase, saying it would raise business costs and lead to fewer jobs in a state with high unemployment.
Legislation pending in the state’s General Assembly would increase the wage to $9 next year.
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