Some Tompkins County officials support minimum wage increases. They'll vote on Tuesday

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According to a 2023 Cornell living wage study , roughly 19,000, or about 40%, of Tompkins County workers earn less than the living wage, with two of five women and three of five black workers in the county not receiving enough funds to account for sky-high food, travel, childcare and rent prices.

On Tuesday, August 6, the Tompkins County Board of Legislators will vote on a resolution to introduce legislation that would gradually raise the local minimum wage , an effort supported by more than a dozen elected officials in the area, including Ithaca Mayor Robert Cantelmo and the Raise Up NY coalition – including over 300 labor unions and community groups organized by workforce development and environmental action group ALIGN.

“We started working on this in 2016, getting local town and city governments representing 70% of the county's population involved over the last seven years,” Pete Meyers of the Tompkins County Workers Center said. “Last year's statewide campaign to raise New York's minimum wage gave us renewed momentum, and the Raise Up NY coalition's continued support has really encouraged our local work to move forward in earnest now. It's exciting to see years of work come together at such a crucial time for our County.”

Higher minimum wage

The resolution directs the county attorney, county administrator, and other county staff as needed to “collaborate with community stakeholders to develop an effective and sustainable minimum wage policy and draft a local law outlining the specifics of the policy, including the calculation methodology, annual adjustment mechanism, enforcement provisions, and any exemptions or special considerations deemed necessary,” and is sponsored by legislator Veronica Pillar.

“This resolution will authorize the county to draft and adopt a gradual minimum wage increase that would be implemented over time,” Meyers said. “We have strong support from local businesses, many of whom already pay their employees a living wage and understand that raising the wage is good for business, workers, and the economy.”

Last year, many New Yorker’s rallied behind the Fight for $15 - now Fight for a Union – to advocate for an increased minimum wage.

“After the Fight for $15, New York saw increased worker productivity and reduced turnover with higher wages, while business costs for recruitment and retention went down,” Raise Up NY Campaign Manager Tal Frieden said Thursday. “And of course, when workers have more money, they're more likely to spend it and stimulate the local economy.”

Earlier this month, county legislators introduced a resolution to explore a higher minimum wage where the living wage is estimated at more than $24 an hour. In 2023, New York passed a modest minimum wage increase to $17 downstate and $16 upstate — a number it won't reach until 2026.

But ALIGN officials said the number is already insufficient, according to a Wednesday statement.

According to Cornell ILR, roughly 19,000 or ~40% of Tompkins County workers earn less than the living wage.

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Some Tompkins County officials support minimum wage increases. They'll vote on Tuesday