CONCORD, N.H.—New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed a bill Aug. 9 that would have raised the state’s minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10 next year and $12 in 2022. He said it would “lead to lost jobs, cut hours and less money in the pockets of hardworking Granite Staters.” “It’s far past time for us to guarantee that hardworking Granite Staters earn enough to support themselves and their families,” responded State Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester), adding that she remained “committed to this fight.” The bill passed by 207-143 in the state House and 14-10 in the Senate, short of the two-thirds majority needed to override the veto. House Minority Leader Richard Hinch (R-Londonderry) opposed the increase, telling WMUR-TV that he trusted employers “to make appropriate wage decisions for their market conditions and company need without government mandates.” New Hampshire, which has no state minimum and uses the federal wage floor of $7.25, has the lowest minimum wage in New England. That, the state AFL-CIO says, is “too low for any Granite State worker or family with children to make ends meet.” A single adult needs at least $12 “to achieve financial self-sufficiency,” it adds. Read more
