PROPOSED $15 MINIMUM WAGE
FILED IN THE STATE SENATE
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
A federal $15 /hr minimum may have faltered in the U.S. Senate for now, but that doesn’t stop Democrats in the NC Senate from proposing the minimum wage hike for citizens.
But just like in Congress, it’s highly unlikely that state Senate Republicans will go for it.
Senate Bill 447 - the “Living Wage for NC Workers,” sponsored by state Sen. Mujtaba A. Mohammed (D-Mecklenburg), Sen. Natalie Murdock (D- Durham) and Sen. Julie Mayfield (D- Buncombe) and filed on March 31st, is described as “an act increasing the state’s minimum wage to fifteen dollars per hour over five years, then annually adjusting the minimum wage automatically by increases in the cost of living; ending the sub minimum wage for individuals with disabilities; amending the sub minimum wage for tipped workers; and ending the exemption for domestic workers.
The current minimum wage employers in North Carolina are required to pay workers is $7.25/hr, same as the current federal minimum.
Under SB 447 if passed, the statewide minimum wage would go from $7.25 to $8.80 per hour as of January 1, 2022. One year later it would rise to $10.35/hr. On January 1, 2024, the state minimum wage would go to $12.00/hr. On January 1, 2025, $13.00/hr becomes the minimum wage, and a year later, on January 1, 2026, the minimum wage for North Carolina wage earners would become $15,00/hr.
Those proposed incremental increases would be subject to what the federal minimum is at that time. If Congress does decide to raise the federal minimum wage by January 1, 2022 to $15.00/hr., that would automatically supercede whatever North Carolina’s minimum wage would be at that time.
As it stands now, any positive movement on the federal $15.00/hr minimum wage proposal looks dead in the water. The Senate parliamentarian determined the amendment did not comply with Senate budget rules, and had to be taken out of Pres. Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package several weeks ago.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I- Vermont), forced a vote on a freestanding amendment for the proposal, and it failed 42-58.
The Biden administration vowed to get the $15.00/hr amendment passed later, but has not said when or how.
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BILL TO PROHIBIT RENAMING
OF FAYETTEVILLE STATE
UNIVERSITY
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
Because of the pervasive legacy of slavery and racial injustice, many buildings and locations across the state once named after slaveowners and white supremacists, are now being renamed to bury that inauspicious past.
But for years, there have been discussions about renaming HBCU Fayetteville State University (FSU) for different reasons, and recently two African-American state House members filed legislation to make sure that that does not happen.
Called “Prohibit Renaming of Fayetteville State,” HB 270, filed by
Rep. Garland Pierce (D- Hoke, Scotland) and Rep. Marvin W. Lucas (D- Cumberland), is “an act to prohibit the redesignation of Fayetteville State University as any other name as a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina.
The act is effective when it becomes law.
A Change.org petition online titled “Save the Name “House Bill 270’ Fayetteville State University started by Bradie Frink, has thus far, at the rise of this writing, garnered 182 signatures in support of the legislation.
One of the petition supporters, Derwin Campbell, wrote, “This decision could have detrimental [effects] to the autonomy of administrators, faculty, and student government in keeping the history of our fine institution intact.”
FSU, North Carolina’s oldest Historically Black College or University, has actually already been through several name changes since it’s inception in 1867 when it was first established as the Howard School for Education of African-Americans. A decade later, the school was renamed the State Colored Normal School in Fayetteville.
In 1930, the school became the Fayetteville State Teachers College, 33 years later becoming Fayetteville State College in 1963.
It was 1969 when FSU finally adopted it’s current name.
However, Republican Senate Pres. Pro Tem Phil Berger wanted o change the name of Fayetteville State University to UNC at Fayetteville in 2016 when he was seeking to lower the tuition of certain schools in the UNC System to $500.00 for in-state students.
FSU was never renamed under the Berger bill, but apparently representatives Pierce and Lucas are taking no chances, and thus have file the bill prohibiting the renaming of the university.
However, if HB 270 passes the House, it may hit a brick wall in the state Senate. Sen. Berger is still the Pres. Pro Tem there, and if he still wants change the name of FSU, he can put the brakes on HB 270 so that it never gets the Senate’s sanction, let alone any consideration.
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STATE NEWS BRIEFS FOR 04-08-21
COMMUNITY SHOCKED BY KIDDER ST. SHOOTINGS
[WILMINGTON] Authorities are still trying to get to the bottom of last Saturday’s shootings at 718 Kidder Street that left seven people shot - three dead and four injured. The deceased were young - 16, 21 and 22. The Wilmington Police dept. is still collecting evidence. If you have any information, contact WPD at 910-343-3609, or use the WPD app . You can also text anonymously to 847411 (tip411)by including the keyword WPDNC.
ASST. PRINCIPAL FOUND DEAD AFTER CHILD SEX ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
[WILMINGTON] An assistant principal at Noble Middle School was found dead at his home last Friday after he was arrested for alleged sec offenses against a student dating back to the early 1990’s. David Eugene Bostian, 59, was accused of having an affair with a woman while she was a 16-year-old student at New Hanover High School in 1992. Bostian resigned from Noble Middle School Friday morning, had been arrested, been given bond, and released, after which he was found dead in his home.
CHURCH GIVES AWAY 500 FREE GAS CARDS
[GOLDSBORO] A local church was the answer for a lot of prayers last weekend when it gave away 500 gasoline gift cards, roughly over $7,000.00 worth as part of an outreach. The church was Deeper Life Church Ministries of Goldsboro and the gas cards were for $15.00 worth of gas. As a continued part of their outreach to the community, deeper Life plans to give away food next.
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