President Obama will visit Connecticut Wednesday to call for an increase in the minimum wage. The president wants the raise the base pay rate by nearly three dollars an hour.
The federal minimum wage is $7.25. Obama will speak at Central Connecticut State University to argue for raising the wage to $10.10. He'll be joined by four New England governors whose states have already lifted their minimum wages beyond the federal baseline.
Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy said he expects the president to say the issue is a matter of basic fairness.
"The idea that somebody could work 40 hours a week and still live in poverty doesn't make any sense in this day and age," Malloy told WNPR.
Organizations that represent independent businesses and large retailers have spoken out against the proposal. The National Retail Federation says a minimum wage hike would burden businesses and harm the economy.
