The full Assembly has voted "yes" on legislation that puts a question on this November’s ballot asking voters if they’d like to amend the State constitution to increase the minimum wage.

The measure would increase the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $8.25 and adjust it annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Governor Chris Christie vetoed the minimum wage hike bill passed by both houses of the legislature, but his signature is not needed to place a question on the ballot.

This is the final stop for the legislation because it has already passed the State Senate two years in a row as required by low and if approved in the Assembly today, it will have passed two years in a row in the People’s House too.

“The cost of living in the State of New Jersey exceeds every state in the union and wages have not kept pace,” says Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver who sponsors the resolution. “$7.25 an hour just will not work.”

Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick says, “Using the constitution to increase the minimum wage is simply wrong. You have no idea where the economy is going to be a year from, two years from now or three years from now.”

“If this amendment passes every special interest group in New Jersey will press for their own constitutional payday,” says Laurie Ehlbeck, National Federation of Independent Business New Jersey State director.  “The Constitution is not the place for political horse-trading between unions, activists, corporations and politicians.”

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