RALEIGH – The Democrats in North Carolina are getting bolder now that Republican majorities in the General Assembly is weaker. Yesterday, House Democrats introduced a ‘wish list’ bill that included enacting a $15/hr minimum wage. Gov. Roy Cooper issued comments yesterday lauding that goal, but ultimately thinks small-business owners across the Old North State should be forced to pay even more than that for each and every job, no matter how menial.
From WRAL:
“Gov. Roy Cooper called Wednesday for an increase in North Carolina’s minimum wage and said it need not be the $15-an-hour phase-in many Democrats have called for.
“We need to work with the General Assembly to see how high we can get it,” Cooper told WRAL News. “$15 is an admirable goal.”
The governor also said he’ll try again this legislative session for unemployment insurance reforms, including an increase in the number of weeks that out-of-work North Carolinians receive benefit checks. The state caps those benefits now between 12 and 20 weeks, depending how strong the economy is, and the benefits are some of the country’s lowest.”
More than pushing a government enforced minimum wage well beyond $15/hr, Cooper wants to revert unemployment benefits back to the structure that put the State more than $2 billion in debt. Republicans in the General Assembly and rock solid leadership from then-Secretary of Employment Security Dale Folwell, got us out of that hole and brought those benefits back in line with the bare minimum lifeline they were designed to be.
Can you imagine what condition the State will be in, fiscally and economically, if Democrats get legislative majorities and Cooper wins re-election in 2020?
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