Min. wage hike to $8.50 clears Senate

SANTA FE (KRQE) - It was a long debate filled with sarcastic amendments, tears and grand speeches.

But when the dust settled, the vote wasn't close.

The New Mexico Senate voted 25-17 on a party-line vote to hike the state's minimum wage from $7.50 to $8.50 an hour with a few exceptions.

"This is the right thing to do," said Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants, during an emotional speech in which he admitted to having some internal conflict about the proposal.

The bill, introduced by Sen. Richard Martinez, D-Espanola, wouldn't apply to businesses with 10 or fewer employees.

That wasn't enough to get any Republican support.

Sen. Bill Sharer, R-Farmington, told News 13 that hiking the minimum wage would hammer small businesses already struggling in a tepid economy.

Sharer proposed an effectively sarcastic amendment on the Senate floor to hike minimum wage to $21.80 an hour. He says he did so to call the bluff of those who claim a living wage needs to be $41,000. That amendment was voted down unanimously.

Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, proposed a likely illegal amendment that would've forced Albuquerque and Santa Fe to raise their minimum wages by the same percentage the rest of the state would have to hike theirs. Smith voted for the bill anyway.

The wage hike heads to the House for approval. The House is considering a proposal that would tie minimum wage to inflation, raising it a small amount each year.

News 13 called Republican Governor Susana Martinez's spokesperson Enrique Knell and asked whether the Governor would sign the minimum wage hike if it makes it to her desk.

Knell released the following statement:

The legislature needs to focus on making New Mexico more competitive and the Governor is concerned about a situation where New Mexico would have the highest minimum wage in the region, while simultaneously having the highest job-killing business tax rate and how that could drive job growth to surrounding states. The Governor is committed to working with the legislature to enact legislation that will help small businesses grow and create more jobs.

A minimum wage hike to $8.50 an hour would still put New Mexico behind Washington, Oregon and Vermont.