Democratic lawmakers have proposed replacing Maine’s statewide minimum wage with a regionally based structure tied to an assessment of the living wage for the area of the state where one is based.
Under this legislation, Maine would be divided into three regions: coastal, northern, and Portland metropolitan.
Each of these sub-divisions would be subject to a different minimum wage as determined by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Living Wage Calculator.
These new wages requirements would take effect on January 1, 2026. Beginning the following year, the minimum wage in each region would be indexed to the cost of living, as is currently the case for the statewide minimum wage.
According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a “living wage” is defined as the amount of income needed for a full-time worker to cover the “costs of their family’s basic needs where they live while still being self-sufficient.”
LD 853 — which seeks to establish a regionally based living wage in Maine — was sponsored by Rep. Valli D. Geiger (D-Rockland).
Cosponsoring this bill are Rep. Matthew D. Beck (D-South Portland), Rep. Rafael Leo Macias (D-Topsham), Rep. Amy J. Roeder (D-Bangor), Rep. Sophia B. Warren (D-Scarborough), and Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot).
“We’re in what I would call a terminal swirl for Maine. We are the oldest state in the country, we are in desperate need for labor and we cannot get labor, because we cannot pay them enough for them to afford rising housing costs,” Rep. Geiger (D-Rockland) told WGME. “The average worker is eligible for food assistance or rental assistance for heat. There is something wrong with the way our economy is working.”
Opponents of increasing the minimum wage — however it is calculated — often cite concerns over the impact that such policies can be expected to have on businesses and consumers with forced layoffs and higher prices.
A public hearing has not yet been scheduled for LD 853, although it is expected that one will take place at some point in the coming weeks.
Click Here for More Information on LD 853
This legislation is not the only bill related to the minimum wage to have been introduced so far this year.
A group of Republican lawmakers proposed doing away with the cost-of-living adjustment for the state’s minimum wage.
Under the bill, the state minimum wage would be set at $14.65 per hour and all references to cost-of-living increases going forward would be removed.
[RELATED: Maine Lawmakers Propose Eliminating the Cost-of-Living Adjustment for the Minimum Wage]
The most recent cost-of-living increase went into effect on January 1 of this year, bringing it up to the $14.65 per hour that would be codified under the proposed legislation.
A public hearing is not yet on the books for this legislation.
Another Republican-led bill would institute a “student wage” in Maine, allowing employers to pay some high school students a lower rate than is currently mandated by state law.
Under this legislation, students could be paid at a rate half that of the current state minimum wage — or $7.33 an hour — for at least two years while they are in high school.
[RELATED: Student Minimum Wage Starting at $7.33 Per Hour Now on the Table in Maine]
Once students graduate from high school — regardless of how long they have been employed — they must be paid Maine’s standard minimum wage of $14.65 an hour.
A public hearing will be held for this bill, LD 112, on Tuesday, March 18 at 1pm in Room 202 of the Cross Building, located directly across from the State House in Augusta.
Testimony can be submitted online at www.mainelegislature.org/testimony.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="36479 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=36479">12 Comments
Are you people out of your ever loving minds? Honestly are you actively pursuing the destruction of all business in this state? I knew DemocRATS are Communists thru and thru, but now I just see evil and sick people. From everything you have done to Maine you are destroying it a bit at a time. Where is the Maine GOP? Where are the people of Maine? From my perspective each and everyone of you are endorsing this whole heartedly. I will definitely be a snowbird if this sees the light of day. Maine is lost and Mainers have no one to blame but themselves.
This will be just another nail in the coffin of small.businesses in Maine
Democrats sure do love Control… this will destroy more of the State… Tax & Obey, the democrat way.
love to see some real numbers for these regions…. you need a 100k to live around portland so….. this would make min wage like 50 an hour!
Not surprised, its the same MO they used in san-fran. In that case they ran out the average income people with crime then the rich swooped in and bought up all the depressed property. Here, they’ll run all the business out of town, no jobs, no little people, real-estate becomes vacant and the rich buy it up. Soon it’ll be just the rich democrats, their supports, politicians and their slaves.
Another scam from our friends with Maine’s AFL-CIO…. with help from their Democrat comrades.
One major reason for lack of advanced workers is drug testing. In the old days there was never a shortage of workers at the Nave yard. But drug testing and easy to get weed in Maine has put an end to that line of work. Coupled with the “safety net society” one not need a go job, the State will will do the job for you.
Very bad Communist policy. 8o % of the folks do not embrace your commy ideology Janet. Invest in deportation.
They actually praise eachother for “a job well done “ on the economy during this entire Mills Administration! They must think Mainers are stupid. Everyone but the Legislative Majority seems to know that COVID 19 funding was the key to their “success”. Now it’s all dried up and they were so irresponsible with it that Maine is immediately plunged into a YUGE budget shortfall without those funds. For 200 years, whether Democrats or Republicans were the Majority in this State, New England Yankees have had their differences, but could always agree on being frugal with their constituents $$. This is what happens when the people that represent us are from somewhere else and bring their shitty policies with them. Classic
How much employers will pay THEIR employees ….How much YOU can earn at your job …….WILL BE DECIDED BY Maine DEMOCRATS .
We need to vote these Fu*king democrats OUT in 2026 .
Democrats are DESTROYING our state .
Absolutely zero sense of fair play among Maine’s selected dei policy enforcers. Shame on Communist ideology.
As the owner of 3 restaurants, this will certainly put me out business! Minimum wage was never intended to be a “Living Wage”. It’s a baseline for entry level workers. Businesses decide how many employees they need and what they can offer to pay. People decide if they want to work there based on the pay and type of work. No one forces them to do it! We already have seen the largest increases in pay due to Covid, basically we had to compete with the state of Maine’s $600 unemployment bonus. Our staff were begging us to lay them off. We had over a $5 to $6 increase in wages during that period and it has not gone back down. Increasing minimum wage will not fix Maine’s problem, dissolving the anti-business policies that the Maine government has on the books will. High income taxes and mandated employee entitlements keep large businesses from opening in Maine. Going after Maine business is not the answer. Look at Portland, how many restaurants and businesses have to close for them to realize that an out of touch minimum wage is gravely devastating!? We reward our employees, who show up to work on time, do a good job and don’t call out on a whim, with higher wages. Those who call out or show up late deserve lower wages. LD 112 will once again reward bad behavior and discourage good employees’ behavior. We will also not be able to reward “good” employees above the new area “living wage” set by LD 112 as for their good work. If you are already frustrated with poor service…wait for this to pass. Socialistic policies may sound good by these politicians but have grave consequences to the people they are trying to help and will devastate the Maine economy further.