March 10th, 2019 by WCBC Radio

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has sent a letter to top lawmakers, asking them to scale back a Democratic proposal to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour.

That proposal has already passed the House of Delegates and a Senate committee.

Hogan's prime concern is with the effect a significantly lower minimum wage in neighboring states will have on the Maryland economy.  In recent weeks, that's the message Mountain Maryland business owners took to Annapolis. saying minimums of $7.25 in Pennsylvania and $8.75 in West Virginia could cripple the local economy.

Hogan has proposed an increase to $12.10 an hour by 2022 if certain conditions are met.  The increase would only become effective if neighboring states reached an average of 80% of Maryland's scheduled minimum wage hike.