Massachusetts State Senators Approve Nation’s Highest Minimum Wage
The Massachusetts state Senate passed a bill on Tuesday that would raise the state’s minimum wage to $11 an hour and ensure future automatic increases tied to inflation. If it were to pass the state House and be signed into law by the governor, it would be the highest state minimum wage in the country.
The bill passed the Senate 32 to 7, but while state House leadership has voiced support for raising the wage, some have warned that they may not back the bill without other incentives for businesses. The House could wait until January to take it up.
The bill would also require the state’s wage to stay at least 50 cents above the federal floor, which has stood at $7.25 for the past four years, and an amendment would make sure the minimum wage for tipped workers would be at least half of the state minimum. The $11 wage would top California, which became the state with the highest wage in September when it approved a hike to $10 an hour.
Without state House approval of the raise, Massachusetts advocates say they have gathered enough signatures to put a raise to $10.50 an hour on the ballot in November 2014.
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/11/20/2972421/massachusetts-minimum-wage/
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Prices, rates, and premiums rise with inflation. Tying wages to inflation makes so much sense! It's brilliant! Why has no one ever thought of this? 
Seriously, they need to do some Serious work on a fair income tax.
