<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3dzaze_0zZQQrn600" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3dzaze_0zZQQrn600" width="1320" height="743" >AUGUSTA (WGME) -- Maine lawmakers are proposing a bill that would replace Maine's minimum wage with a livable wage scale.A livable wage is defined by the minimum a person needs to pay for the essentials, like housing, food and health care.If passed, the bill would use a calculator from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to determine how much money each person and household needs to make.According to the calculator, a livable wage for a person with no kids is $23.22 an hour.Currently, the minimum wage in Maine is $14.65.The bill's co-sponsor says a higher wage is needed to boost Maine's economy and attract labor."We're in what I would call a terminal swirl for Maine. We are the oldest state in the country, we are in desperate need for labor and we cannot get labor, because we cannot pay them enough for them to afford rising housing costs," Rep. Valli Geiger (D-Rockland) said. "The average worker is eligible for food assistance or rental assistance for heat. There is something wrong with the way our economy is working.”Opponents of the bill worry that increasing wages could lead to higher prices for consumers and force employers to lay off staff.</div></body>

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AUGUSTA (WGME) -- Maine lawmakers are proposing a bill that would replace Maine's minimum wage with a livable wage scale. A livable wage is defined by the minimum a person needs to pay for the essentials, like housing, food and health care. If passed, the bill would use a calculator...

Maine lawmakers propose replacing minimum wage with livable wage scale

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AUGUSTA (WGME) -- Maine lawmakers are proposing a bill that would replace Maine's minimum wage with a livable wage scale. A livable wage is defined by the 

Maine lawmakers propose replacing minimum wage with livable wage scale

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