New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie yesterday proposed increasing the state’s minimum wage by $1 over a phase-in period of three years.
Christie conditionally vetoed Democratic legislation that had sought to raise the wage in March to $8.50 an hour from $7.25 and tie future hikes to the US Consumer Price Index. He also proposed a 25 percent increase in the New Jersey Earned Income Tax Credit.
Christie, 50, a Republican, called the Democrats’ measure “lopsided” because it would harm small businesses while helping wage earners.