Maryland Lawmakers Discussing Minimum Wage Increase
By: Katie Kyros
Updated: January 28, 2013
"If I was to try to live on what I made as minimum wage just for myself, I don't think I could do it," says Carol Smith, who relied on her husband to help make ends meet while earning minimum wage.
Maryland lawmakers launched "Raise Maryland" last week. It's aimed at raising the minimum wage by 2015.
Democrats who want to introduce the measure say it would be adjusted annually for inflation. Workers say current regulations are lacking in keeping up with the cost of living.
Some workers describe the current minimum wage as "gas money" that allows them to get to work everyday, but barely have anything to save.
"There's a lot of people that definitely have problems paying bills and the increase would definitely help me out and a lot of other families as well," says Brett Meunier.
Munier owned his own small busines, but it went under, and he says employee wages were one of the hardest costs to maintain. He sees both sides of the issue.
"I had an extra assistant or two to help me out in different aspects of my business," he says. "But it was difficult to try to keep them paid."
Senator Robert Garigiola, of Montgomery County, is one of the representatives who plans to introduce legislation to raise the minimum wage.
