Raising the Minimum Wage

No one working full-time in Pennsylvania should be living in poverty. Yet right now, the state’s minimum wage remains stuck at $7.25 an hour—far below what it takes to afford rent, groceries, transportation, and basic necessities in today’s economy.

Bryan Allen believes it’s time for Pennsylvania to move forward and ensure that hard work is actually rewarded with a wage people can live on.

Bryan’s priorities include:

• Raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage to $12 an hour, phased in responsibly to give small businesses time to adjust while ensuring workers see meaningful wage growth.

• Indexing wages to inflation over time, so workers don’t fall behind again as the cost of living rises.

• Strengthening the local economy by putting more money in the hands of working people, who are more likely to spend it in their communities.

• Protecting small businesses, paired with targeted support and tax relief during the transition to ensure they can compete and thrive.

• Supporting fair pay for essential workers, including those in retail, service, caregiving, and other critical industries that keep our communities running.

Bryan believes raising the minimum wage is about basic fairness and economic common sense: if you work full-time, you should be able to afford to live with dignity in the community you help sustain.