Corbett signals he won’t push to hike minimum wage

Gov. Tom Corbett is signaling that he won’t support an increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, saying he’s worried about the impact on the state’s economy.

Corbett told the Times Leader of Wilkes-Barre on Friday that he has no plans to encourage lawmakers to increase Pennsylvania’s $7.25-an-hour minimum wage.

Corbett says the economy’s starting to come back from the recession and he’s worried about changing the economic dynamic.

Democrats in Washington, D.C., and Harrisburg are calling for an increase. Corbett, a Republican, is running for re-election next year and the leading Democrats vying for the party’s nomination to challenge him support increasing the minimum wage.

Pennsylvania’s minimum wage is set at the federal minimum wage, where it’s been since 2009. It’s higher in 19 states and Washington, D.C., for 2013.