Romney to Deal With Minimum Wage Increase Bill on His Desk

The Boston Globe gives their opinion about the minimum wage increase bill that legislators passed recently. Expect Romney to rule on this within the next week or so. I suspect that he'll definitely not go down on record as signing into law the highest minimum wage in the nation--$8.00 is what the legislature passed . . . nice way to drive businesses out of the state. He'll more likely recommend a much lower increase (probably just under $7) and he may or may not recommend indexing the wage increase to economic indicators . . . such as inflation. He was warm to the idea of indexing during his 2002 gubenatorial campaign, and I can see the wisdom of indexing as a way to help take the issue "off the (political) table." If he decides for indexing, then he will probably not recommend a wage increase and ask for a moratorium of a couple of years before the indexing takes place. Just my guesses . . . if he decides against indexing, he could be subject to "flip-flopper" claims.

Would another option be just to flat out veto the bill due to the ultra-high wage and not offer any adjustments?

Thomas Alan at Floridians for Romney has a nice take on this issue as well.