More than 70 people turned out for a minimum wage event sponsored by Rep. Sue Chew, D-Boise, in room EW 40 of the Capitol this evening, to hear presentations from speakers including clergy, a labor expert, a small business owner, people living on minimum wage and more. Chew said she has revised the personal bill she introduced earlier, and plans to bring it to a House committee to try to get a hearing. “Today is education,” she said. Chew’s bill would raise Idaho’s minimum wage in increments, from the current $7.25 an hour to $8.25 an hour on July 1, 2019; to $10.50 an hour on July 1, 2020; and $12 an hour on July 1, 2021. After that, future increases would be automatically tied to the national consumer price index.
Chew said she’s been talking with business owners and families from around the state. “They’ve been finding with a small bump like this, it’s sustainable for them,” she said. “It was something that was very affordable.”