Senator Daphne Jordan: “Welcome to Albany’s ‘Bizzaro World,’ where Senate Democratic Majority wants a higher minimum wage for incarcerated criminals”

Albany, NY – Welcome to Albany’s “Bizzaro World,” where members of the Senate Democratic Majority are advocating a higher minimum wage for incarcerated criminals -- and expect law-abiding, hard-working taxpayers to foot the bill, said Senator Daphne Jordan (R,C,I,Ref-Halfmoon) who today blasted the Democratic proposal.


“In 2014, Governor Cuomo pushed ‘Con College’ so inmates could receive a free college education paid for by taxpayers. Now, Senator Zellnor Myrie, a member of the Senate Democratic Majority, is pushing a bill to increase the minimum wage for incarcerated criminals up to $3 an hour – and stick taxpayers with the tab for his ridiculous proposal,” Senator Jordan said.


“The Senate Democratic Majority is apparently more concerned about coddling convicts than protecting law-abiding, hard-working taxpayers. The Senate Democratic Majority aren’t just robbing ‘Peter to pay Paul.’ They’re having the real pros – convicted, incarcerated felons – do it,” Senator Jordan said.


The radical legislation sponsored by Democrat Senator Myrie, Senate Bill S.3138, is co-sponsored by three members of the Senate Democratic Majority: Senator Jamaal Bailey, Chair of the Senate Codes Committee, Senator Jessica Ramos, Chair of the Senate Labor Committee and Senator Alessandra Biaggi, Chair of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Internal Governance, respectively.


According to Senator Myrie’s bill memo, his legislation, the “Prison Minimum Wage Act,” would “end the last vestiges of slavery and embrace the spirit and the promise of the Thirteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution by providing a minimum wage of $3.00 an hour to inmates.”


“Between the DREAM Act, more unfunded mandates, ‘Albany Care’ – aka single payer – and now this latest, ridiculous proposal – a higher minimum wage for incarcerated criminals – the Senate Democratic Majority are driving New York even deeper into the fiscal ditch. Worse still, Senate Democrats expect law-abiding, hard-working taxpayers to foot the bill. It’s their latest outrageous proposal further demonstrating just how out-of-touch the Senate Democratic Majority is with everyday New Yorkers,” Senator Jordan concluded.
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