BALTIMORE — A group is pushing to put a $25 minimum wage initiative on Maryland's 2026 ballot, if passed it would give the state the highest minimum wage in the country.
One Fair Wage is leading the effort to raise Maryland's minimum wage to $25 an hour with no exceptions. If successful, Maryland would surpass Washington D.C.'s current minimum pay rate of $17.95 an hour.
"An initiative that would raise the minimum wage in Maryland to $25 an hour with no exceptions," Saru Jayaraman of One Fair Wage said.
One Fair Wage is pushing to raise minimum wage in Maryland to $25....others disagree with the effort
Supporters argue the current $15 minimum wage is insufficient for workers to afford basic living standards in Maryland.
"$15 isn't close to enough for even a single worker not taking care of children to afford a basic living standard in Maryland," Chris Meyer of the Maryland Center on Economic Policy said.
The proposal faces opposition from the business community and Republican lawmakers. The Maryland Chamber of Commerce said, "We understand that many Marylanders are struggling with the cost of living and want better opportunities to get ahead. But Maryland's economy is already struggling to create and keep jobs, and raising the minimum wage to $25 would make it even harder."
Delegate Kathy Szeliga called the plan disastrous for Maryland.
"I think what we could say is with socialism, eventually you run out of other people's money, and that's what this is. We would be far, far and away higher than our neighboring states and people," Szeliga said.
An In Focus look at states with the highest minimum wage across the country
One Fair Wage claims the initiative has voter support, particularly among unlikely and low-propensity voters.
"An extremely high number of unlikely low propensity voters said I will be more likely to turn out to vote in November 2026 if 25 is on the ballot," Jayaraman said.
Several previous efforts to increase Maryland's minimum wage beyond $15 an hour have failed in Annapolis. Governor Moore's proposal to tie minimum wage to inflation and One Fair Wage's attempt to gradually increase wages to $20 both stalled in Annapolis.
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