Tuesday, March 1, 2005 | 11:01 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- Republicans tried to put up a fight Monday against a bill that would raise the minimum wage by $1 an hour, but party members in the Assembly ultimately split on the issue.
Eight of the 16 Assembly Republicans voted for the measure, which Democrats pegged as one of their top priorities this legislative session.
"No full-time worker should live in poverty in the state of Nevada," said Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, who sponsored the bill.
Full-time minimum wage workers now make less than $11,000 a year before taxes are taken out, she said. That's less than what they would receive on welfare, she added.
Republicans argued that they were happy to raise the minimum wage by $1 an hour but worried about other provisions that increase the minimum wage each year based on inflation and exempt businesses that provide health care.
Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, argued that the yearly hikes based on inflation could become burdensome to businesses.
And, he said, the provision that exempts businesses that provide health care could become problematic if it is cheaper for businesses to drop health care than to pay the hike.
He also pointed out that Nevada requires tip earners to earn a full minimum wage in addition to their tips, unlike other states that allow businesses to pay a lower hourly salary if people are collecting tips.
"You're going to force the employer to pay an increase in wages to someone who already makes a fine earning on tips," Hettrick complained.
Other Republicans voting against the measure include: Francis Allen of Las Vegas, Sharron Angle of Reno, Chad Christensen of Las Vegas, Heidi Gansert of Reno, Tom Grady of Carson City, Garn Mabey of Las Vegas and Rod Sherer of Pahrump.
Other Republicans, such as Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, said they saw problems with the bill but felt they had to vote for it because a similar measure that would amend the state constitution passed with 68 percent of the vote in November.
"District 20 voted overwhelmingly in favor of the minimum wage increase, and I feel although there are negative aspects, the people in my district will be represented in their choice," he said.
Much of the Republican support for the bill came from Assembly members like John Carpenter, R-Elko, who represent rural counties.
"I think it's time we did raise the minimum wage a dollar," Carpenter said. "The reason I'm going to vote for it most of all is I hope it gives people who are on welfare now an incentive to get off welfare and get a job."
Other Republicans voting for the increase were: Pete Goicoechea of Eureka, Brooks Holcomb of Reno, John Marvel of Battle Mountain, Bob Seale of Henderson, Scott Sibley of Las Vegas and Valerie Weber of Las Vegas.
All of the Democrats in the Assembly voted for the bill except for Assemblywoman Kathy McClain of Las Vegas, who was absent.
Giunchigliani argued that the inflation increase will not overwhelm employers. She looked at inflation rates since 1990 and said the minimum wage wouldn't have increased by more than 19 cents in any year.
The bill will now move to the Republican-controlled Senate, where supporters expect it will face more obstacles than it did in the Assembly.
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