COLUMBUS, OH (WLIO) - Ohio voters could be deciding on raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour this year.
Raise the Wage Ohio is looking to put a constitutional amendment before voters and if passed it would just take a couple of years to jump the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Currently, the minimum wage increases are determined by the rate of inflation. As of January 1st, the minimum wage in Ohio is $10.45. We asked Gov. Mike DeWine about the proposed constitutional amendment. While he would not comment on the issue, he did say that competition has driven wages up in the state, and in some areas higher than $15 an hour.
“You are seeing people that used to be getting $12 an hour and many of them are making $18 an hour. Why, the competition. Even in fast food restaurants, you are seeing some real competition,” says DeWine. “Restaurants have to basically bidding to get those workers. That has had a huge fundamental change in the last several years, certainly to the benefit of most employees.”
Raise the Wage Ohio is still gathering signatures to get the constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
