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Governor Martin O'Malley Calls for Hike in Minimum Wage

Don Rush

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Gov. Martin O'Malley is urging supporters of raising the minimum wage in Maryland to sign a petition.

The Democratic governor in an email from his political action committee on Thursday says he believes the state must make the choice to raise the minimum wage, which is currently $7.25 an hour.

O'Malley says is expecting a long and difficult effort. A measure to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10 by 2015 stalled in a Senate committee in the last legislative session.

O'Malley does not specify in the email how much he believes the minimum wage should be raised.

Last month, District of Columbia Mayor Vincent Gray vetoed a bill that would have forced Wal-Mart and other large retailers to pay their employees at least $12.50 an hour.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.