Hartford, CT — As Governor Dan Malloy and Governor Deval Patrick celebrate Connecticut’s historic increase of the minimum wage to $10.10 on 10/10, Tom Foley opposed the increase — and he still does.

Like on almost all other issues, Tom Foley hedges and misleads:

• He’s said “we need to be careful about having a minimum wage in Connecticut that’s higher than other states.”
• Tom Foley claimed the higher minimum wage “drives jobs out of the state” — a claim debunked by economists. A recent reportshowed that states that raised their minimum wage gained more jobs than those states that didn’t.
• In defending his opposition to the historic $10.10 minimum wage increase, Tom Foley claimed that Connecticut instead needed to enact a tiered minimum wage system. The problem: Connecticut already has one, which even the Republican American — in a story entitled “G-Oops-P” — has noted.
• He’s claimed to support an Australian-style system, even while Australia has a minimum wage around $15 per hour.

“Tom Foley bankrupted companies, laid off workers, and exploited working people to enrich himself with $5 million yachts, million-dollar fighter jets, and seven-bedroom mansions. While he shut down mills at Bibb and watched striking workers suffer at T.B. Woods, he bought the best toys money can buy,” said Ian Sams, a Connecticut Democratic Party spokesman. “So it’s no surprise he opposed the historic, first-in-the-nation legislation that increased the minimum wage to $10.10, which will help working families move into the middle class. Now, he’s trying to lie about where he stands on the issue, and voters just aren’t buying it.”

Background:

Tom Foley “I Think We Need To Be Careful About Having A Minimum Wage In Connecticut That’s Higher Than Other States, Because That Drives Jobs Out Of The State.” “’I think we need to be careful about having a minimum wage in Connecticut that’s higher than other states, because that drives jobs out of the state,’ Foley said. Foley suggested there was no serious plan to raise the state minimum, saying, ‘I don’t think anybody’s proposing that.’ He seemed unaware that a state legislative committee had approved and sent a $10.10 minimum wage bill to the Senate floor on Tuesday, the day before Obama’s visit here promoting a higher federal minimum. With the support of Malloy and legislative leaders, it is expected to pass.” [CT Mirror,03/07/14]

Foley: Seemed Unaware That A State Legislative Committee Had Approved And Sent A $10.10 Minimum Wage Bill To The Senate Floor On Tuesday. “Foley suggested there was no serious plan to raise the state minimum, saying, ‘I don’t think anybody’s proposing that.’ He seemed unaware that a state legislative committee had approved and sent a $10.10 minimum wage bill to the Senate floor on Tuesday, the day before Obama’s visit here promoting a higher federal minimum. With the support of Malloy and legislative leaders, it is expected to pass.” [CT Mirror,03/07/14]

In An Interview With The Mirror, Foley said a Connecticut Minimum Wage increase could drive jobs out of Connecticut. “In an interview with The Mirror, Foley clarified that his preference for Congress to set a uniform standard does not mean he opposes raising the state minimum. ‘I support a $10.10 minimum wage for certain jobs,” Foley said. ‘I would support that in Connecticut, too, but you have to be careful about this, because people complain already that our current minimum wage, because it’s higher than the national one, it’s driving jobs away.’” [CT Mirror,03/07/14]

Foley Said He Was Not Ready To Define A Standard For Exempting Jobs From The State Or Federal Minimum, But He Opposes An Across-The-Board Raise. “Foley said he was not ready to define a standard for exempting jobs from the state or federal minimum, but he opposes an across-the-board raise. ‘If I was governor, I’d be encouraging the legislature to have a multi-tier state minimum wage that offered a minimum wage in that range to people who are working for large corporations, who can afford it,’ Foley said. He offered no definition of large corporation or an affordability standard. Without saying how, Foley said he also would like a minimum wage increase narrowed so that it goes to workers who ‘have to support families on that, and who aren’t going to lose their jobs as a result.’” [CT Mirror,03/07/14]

Australia’s National Minimum Wage Is A$16.87 Per Hour Or A$640.90 Per Week.[mywage.org.au, accessed 8/14/14]

The Australian Dollar Is Exchanged At .9315 Of The United States Dollar As Of August 14, 2014, Therefore A A$16.87 Would Be Worth $15.71 In The United States. [Bloomberg, accessed 8/14/14]

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