Minimum Wage Debate Taking Shape In Senate

Pa. Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa, D-Pittsburgh, said March 2 that his caucus can’t accept a Republican proposal to raise the state’s minimum wage to $10 an hour.

“We don’t believe it’s the right number, and we believe it needs to be higher, and we think it’s something we need to push for,” he said during a news conference with reporters. “My hope is that we can have a discussion about a higher rate.”

The proposal in question came from Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, who earlier this month unveiled his plan to raise the rate for the first time in 12 years from its current $7...