One state senator did attempt to deal with the issue during this year’s legislative session. Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort, who represents northeast Albuquerque and is a former board member of the Chamber, sponsored a bill (SB 535) that would have prohibited any municipality from enacting a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum. The bill did not pass.
Beffort said the true intention of the minimum wage is to jumpstart young and unskilled workers into the workforce, and eventually higher paying jobs. Her response to lower-paid employees who have been in the workforce for many years: “Shame on them.”? Beffort adds that there are numerous federal and state funded training programs available for unskilled workers (such as the Education Works Act, which provides assistance for lower-income workers seeking trade degrees), and it’s their own fault if they don’t take advantage of them.
Vote out this insensitive fool. mjh