On July 8, the Tompkins County Legislature’s Housing and Economic Development Committee voted unanimously to pass a resolution that could potentially increase the county's minimum wage, inching it closer to the living wage, which is expected to spike again later this year.
The resolution is supported by the Tompkins County Workers’ Center, Rise Up NY, and several members of the Tompkins County Legislature. It aims to address wage disparities and improve the quality of life for low-income workers in the county struggling to keep up with increasing costs of living.
Currently, the living wage in Tompkins County is $18.45 per hour, which is considered the minimum amount of income required for an individual to afford basic needs like food and shelter. However, the minimum wage for municipalities in upstate New York is still just $15 per hour, and it isn’t scheduled to increase to $16 per hour until 2026. By the time Ithaca’s minimum wage reaches $16 per hour, the area’s projected living wage will have already surpassed $20 per hour.
To read the full article, visit Ithaca Journal