Seventy-eight percent of Mainers live paycheck to paycheck. Too many people are working longer days and longer hours due to mounting costs and stagnant wages, preventing them from enjoying the quality of life they deserve.
To uplift working Mainers, Representative Benjamin Collings of Portland has introduced LD 1376: An Act to Create a Livable Wage by Increasing the Minimum Hourly Wage. This bill aims to raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour starting January 1, 2024, with a $1 increase every year thereafter.
If LD 1376 were to pass, Maine would be the fourth state—along with Massachusetts, California, and Washington—to have a minimum hourly wage of $15 or higher. Furthermore, it would be the first time since 2009 that Maine has increased the minimum wage. The current state minimum wage is $13.80 per hour, which was approved by a voter-led initiative seven years ago.
Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour will help Mainers keep up with costs of living, healthcare, and education. It will put money in their pockets and strengthen the state’s economy. Maine’s working families deserve a chance to thrive and get ahead. Now that the Legislature has given LD 1376 a preliminary approval, we urge Governor Mills to pass this bill to help tens of thousands of Maine families!
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