As leaders in the Vermont House of Representatives struggle to galvanize support for legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, some lawmakers have begun pushing for a less aggressive alternative.
On paper at least, Vergennes Rep. Matt Birong looks like the kind of Democrat who could be counted on to support the $15 minimum wage bill.
He was a delegate for Bernie Sanders in 2016, and he鈥檚 one of the freshman legislators that rode a blue wave to victory in a 2018 election that saw Democrats in the Vermont House of Representatives.
But two weeks ago, when the House Committee on General, Housing, and Military Affairs cast a key vote on legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024, Birong was a notable 'no.'
"I'm all for increasing the minimum wage," Birong said Tuesday. "My biggest concerns with the $15 minimum wage by 2024 was pretty much the timeline."
Birong is not alone with those concerns; as Democratic leaders in the Vermont House have learned over the past few weeks, many members of their caucus aren't entirely on board with .
"If a person is working full time, they shouldn't be living in poverty," said Bellows Falls Rep. Matt Trieber. "That being said 鈥� if we move up too quickly, we could run into some economic issues."
That trepidation seems to be resonating with House leaders. House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski indicated Tuesday that the $15 figure could be malleable.
"What we are focusing on this week is finding a path forward so that we can make sure that we can give Vermonters a raise," Krowinski said. "And whether that is 15 [dollars] on the mark, I don't know."
"What we are focusing on this week is finding a path forward so that we can make sure we can give Vermonters a raise. And whether that is 15 [dollars] on the mark, I don't know." 鈥� Vt. House Majority Leader Jill Krowinski
The $15 minimum wage bill has deep support in the Senate, where lawmakers back in February. But many House Democrats are more skeptical.
Birong, who owns a restaurant in Vergennes, said he's fielded calls from progressive-minded business owners who support a minimum wage boost in concept, but worry the Senate bill .
"These are people and businesses that supported concepts like paid sick days and paid family leave," Birong said. "And when that demographic, that crowd, is raising concerns, I felt like I had to listen to them."
Trieber said he worries about the effect of the $15 minimum wage on community-based health providers that to accommodate higher payroll costs.
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Last year, the House 鈥� but only by the slimmest of margins.
With House leaders eying a similarly close vote in 2019, they're entertaining the possibility of a minimum wage compromise that could win 'yes' votes from more members of their caucus.
What that compromise looks like exactly remains to be seen. Birong is pushing a plan that would double the annual rate of minimum wage growth in current law.
Trieber said he鈥檚 intrigued.
"My personal goal, and I won't speak for anything else, is to get to a point where I can vote for something that will help Vermonters increase their wages," Trieber said.
If lawmakers end up arriving at a more modest minimum wage bill, they may find a willing partner in Republican Gov. Phil Scott, who
Administration officials say Scott is open to signing a less aggressive increase in the minimum wage, which could obviate the need for Democrats to try to override another veto.
