Free Republic

SACRAMENTO (AP) - California's minimum wage would climb to $7.75 an hour under legislation that was approved by the state Assembly on Wednesday, an increase supporters said would still leave roughly 1 million workers with poverty-level pay. The measure by Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Santa Clara, would raise the wage from $6.75 to $7.25 an hour starting Jan. 1, 2005, and to $7.75 on Jan. 1, 2006. It was sent to the Senate by a 45-29 vote. The bill's supporters said the other West Coast states have higher minimum wages than California and the minimum wages in Oregon and Washington increase...