Economics

New Jersey Governor-Elect Murphy Calls for $15 Minimum Wage

  • Democrats tried for years, only to meet veto by Christie
  • Initiative in high-cost state has backing from labor groups

Phil Murphy speaks at an election night rally in Asbury Park, New Jersey, on Nov. 7, 2017.

Photographer: Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images North America
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Governor-elect Phil Murphy said a top priority is almost doubling New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15 an hour, with support from fellow Democrats who control the legislature.

Governor Chris Christie, a Republican, vetoed the initiative in August 2016, calling it a “significant step backward on the road to economic recovery.” But Murphy said it’s a matter of good economics and justice.