In a surprise move today, the Michigan Senate voted unanimously to hike the state minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.95 on October 1st and up to $7.40 by July 2008. It seems to me like this surprise move was an attempt by Republicans in the Senate to counter the possibility of a Democrat and union-led effort to place a referendum on the ballot in November. Senate and House Republicans have been very fearful that such a referendum could bring many moderate voters to the polls this year, voters who traditionally vote Democratic.

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# posted by farlane @ 3:44 PM