Rally in support of minimum wage increase held in Albany.
SYRACUSE -- At a rally in Albany Tuesday, workers came out to support Governor Cuomo's proposal to raise minimum wage from $7.25/hr to $8.75/hr. If Art Delaney, the owner of Delaney Moving and Storage in Syracuse was there, he'd by marching right along with them.
"I'd be pro-wage increase. I think its been long overdue," says Delaney.
At Delaney Moving and Storage the immediate impact of the $1.50 increase wouldn't really be felt because they already pay above minimum wage, but the long term impact is inevitable.
"Over time what will happen is employees will come back to us and say we need pay increases as well because now the margin of what we currently pay and a raised increase minimum wage will narrow up," says Delaney.
Jini Cerio, Owner of Markowitz Flowers in Downtown Syracuse, fears this would be a big jump at one time.
"It will be difficult. Some people say $1.50 an hour that's not too bad. But when you have to multiply that by 10 people or 50 people that adds up very quickly," says Cerio.
Back at the moving company, while Delaney supports the boost, he believes everyone should pay into the system.
"Don't get me wrong though, I believe the other side of that coin is that everyone, including those making minimum wage, should be paying taxes into the system," says Delaney.
For business owners, raising wages seems to be a double edged sword. It's something they'd like to do, but not necessarily something they feel they can do and still stay in business.
