Rockland Votes For City Minimum Wage

According to The Village Soup, Rockland, Maine has voted for a city minimum wage.  However, it is going to be a bit before it kicks in.

The local law will increase the minimum wage from its current statewide $12 an hour level to $13 on January 1st, 2022.  It will go up to $14 in 2023, $15 in 2024.  after 2024, there will be annual cost-of-living increases.

The law was approved by a nearly 2/3 margin: 2,312 to 1,209.

In addition to the delay for it to kick-in, the new law only affects businesses that employ more than 25 people.  This stipulation will make it a little easier for very small, and seasonal, businesses to continue to operate without a huge increase to their expenses.

The increase comes as many organizations around the country are finding that the cost of living is increasing faster than the wages of many people.  According to a report from the Maine People's Alliance the living wage in Maine for a single person was $15.77 and for a single parent with two children was $29.08.

Many Rockland-area businesses were in support of the new regulation.  These include Scrimshaw Cannabis & Community, wilderbydesign, Z Shaw Architecture, Curator, Steel House, Black Parrot, Fog Bar & Café, and hello hello books.

Portland, Maine voted in a similar law on Tuesday.

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