ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo is taking his push for a $15 an hour minimum wage directly to the voters, the Daily News has learned.
Cuomo will start a series of telephone town halls Thursday on the subject that will lead up to the enactment of the new state budget at the end of March.
The call will target hundreds of thousands of New York City residents, a Cuomo aide said.
A similar call will take place for Long Island within 10 days, with the goal being to eventually reach all regions of the state, the aide said.
$15 MINIMUM WAGE WOULD CREATE $6.5 BILLION FOR NYC ECONOMY, STATE REPORT SAYS
Cuomo will ask people to call their legislators.
“Over the next few weeks, I’ll be speaking directly to residents across the state and urging them to make their voices heard in this fight to ensure a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work,” Cuomo told The News.
The minimum wage push is one of Cuomo’s top priorities this year. He named it after his late father, former Gov. Mario Cuomo.
“Raising the minimum wage will mean restoring opportunity and basic decency to workers and families across the state who are struggling to get by,” Cuomo said.
The current minimum wage is $9 an hour, though fast-food workers will see their rate rise to $15 an hour over the next several years.
Along with the governor, powerful union leader George Gresham, who is chairing the Mario Cuomo Economic Justice campaign, and some economists will also be on the call. Some listeners will be able to ask questions, the Cuomo aide said.
