Title
A RESOLUTION CONCERNING PROTECTION OF MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES - REJECT THE OFF-RAMP for the purpose of expressing a policy regarding the Prince George’s County Council’s goals of supporting the principles of the “Fight For $15 Coalition”; and generally relating to protection of minimum wage increases.
Background
The Board of Public Works (BPW) is expected to vote on a round of spending cuts at the next meeting of the BPW- the first day of the 2021 Fiscal Year. However, a coalition of 27 progressive groups have requested that the three members of the BPW refrain from pausing the gradual annual increases (provided pursuant to HB166/SB280 during the 2019 Maryland General Assembly Session) which will take Maryland's minimum wage rate to $15 per hour rate by 2026. They also urged the BPW to protect the incomes of the most at-risk members of the Maryland population by refraining from making cuts until more federal aid for the safety net programs is provided. This Resolution articulates the Prince George's County Council's support for increasing the minimum wage rate and for protecting the incomes of Maryland's most vulnerable residents.