JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — Virginia’s General Assembly Majority Leader doesn’t expect a Democratic bid to continue raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026 to succeed.
The Commonwealth’s minimum wage ticked up from $11 to $12 an hour Jan. 1 as part of a law passed under former Governor Ralph Northam.
“I think the increase will stop now because the House isn’t going to improve another increase because, you know, we’re hearing from our employers and our folks that it’s just hard,” Delegate Terry Kilgore (R-Gate City) told News Channel 11 Wednesday.
Democratic leadership hopes to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026, but unlike previous increases that were cooked into the original bill, any additional ones will need to pass through the legislature.
In an interview that also touched on issues ranging from electric vehicle charging stations and abortion to legal marijuana and the future of the Town of Pound, Kilgore said he believes employers don’t have the wiggle room to endure further increases.
“They’re trying to make ends meet with all this inflation supply chain issues, so it’s going to be hard. So I would say it’s going to stop where it is right now.”
The minimum wage will stay at $12 after this year unless additional increases are approved by lawmakers.
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