Metro

Gov wagers against min-rate hike

ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo called a hike in the state’s minimum wage a virtual mission impossible in this state legislative election year.

“I don’t think it’s possible,” he said yesterday on upstate’s ‘Capitol Pressroom’ radio show, citing a lack of support among the state Senate’s Republican majority.

“We hope for the ideal. We live in the real,” Cuomo said.

“I don’t think, at this time, this is in the realm of the possible because the Senate has a heartfelt opposition.”

But Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (right), of Manhattan, cast doubt on fellow Democrat Cuomo’s abilities as a “prognosticator.”

Silver cited 78 percent support for a minimum-wage increase in a recent poll and said he thinks GOP senators facing re-election will come around.

Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-LI) has called the proposed minimum-wage increase a “job killer.”

But Skelos has left the door open to compromise by saying only that he won’t take up Silver’s bill to hike the $7.25-per-hour federal rate to $8.50 next year, with annual indexing for inflation.

Cuomo has said he supports increasing the minimum wage in concept. But Silver claimed Cuomo voiced support for the speaker’s bill.