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Inslee Explores Minimum Wage Hike For State Workers, Contractors

Shawn Murphy
/
Flickr
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee

President Obama recently ordered a minimum wage increase for federal contractors. Now Washington Gov. Jay Inslee says he may consider a similar executive order at the state level.

The Democrat made his comments Friday after a meeting with the president at the White House where minimum wage was discussed.

"We are going to evaluate what the status is of workers who work for the state and/or contractors with the state to look what might be the right policy in that regard," Inslee said.

He said his review will take several months.

The governor’s budget office estimated that it would cost taxpayers $2 million a year to boost the minimum wage for state employees to $12 an hour.

Long term, the governor supports an increase in Washington’s statewide minimum wage for everyone. It’s currently $9.32 an hour – the highest in the nation.

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy, as well as the Washington State Legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia."