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Faith-Based Leaders Join Governor Cuomo’s Campaign to Raise the Minimum Wage

86 Faith-Based Leaders From Across New York State Join “Fight for Fair Pay” Campaign

Raising Minimum Wage to $10.50 Statewide and $11.50 in New York City Increases Wages of 1.3 Million New Yorkers

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced 86 faith-based leaders from across New York have joined together in support of the “Fight for Fair Pay” campaign to raise the minimum wage in this year. These 86 leaders join more than 80 business leaders representing broad private sector support of the Governor’s proposal, which increases the minimum wage from the current $8.75 to $10.50 statewide and $11.50 in New York City.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo

“The concept of the minimum wage is that if you work full time, you should be able to afford a path out of poverty and live with dignity – and these pastors are joining us to help in our fight to restore this opportunity,” Governor Cuomo said. “These pastors are leaders in their communities, and I am proud to have their support as we work together to combat poverty and make a difference for more than one million New Yorkers.”

In total, 1.3 million New Yorkers will experience higher wages as a result of the minimum wage increase, which translates into a $3.4 billion direct economic value statewide – meaning that more New Yorkers will have more money to spend on goods and services in their community. During the last six increases in New York State’s minimum wage, employment subsequently increased in industries with many minimum wage workers.

Faith-based leaders who have joined the Governor’s Fight for Fair Pay campaign include:

  • Reverend Lenonard D. Comithier Jr., Macedonia Baptist Church (CR)
  • Reverend Willie Lawson, New Church of Christ (CR)
  • Pastor Michael Young, Albany Church of God (CR)
  • The Clergy Caucus of Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse (ACTS) (CNY)
  • Reverend Randolph Stackhouse, Antioch Missionary Baptist Church (CNY)
  • Reverend Craig French, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (CNY)
  • Fr. Jim Mathews, St. Lucy’s Church (CNY)
  • Fr. John Schopfer, Brady Faith Center (CNY)
  • Reverend Franklin Ross, Peace Baptist Church (FL)
  • Rev. Alan Newton, Executive Minister of American Baptist Churches of the Rochester Genesee Region (FL)
  • Rev. Steve Gretz, Senior Pastor, Greece Baptist Church (FL)
  • Marlene Bessette, CEO of Catholic Family Center (FL)
  • Reverend Dr. Darren M. Morton, Macedonia Baptist Church (HV)
  • Reverend Edward Mulraine, Unity Baptist Tabernacle Church (HV)
  • Reverend Gay Thompson Steel, Faith Mission Church (HV)
  • Reverend Julius Walls, Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church (HV)
  • Reverend De Quincy Hentz, Shiloh Baptist Church (HV)
  • Reverend Lamont Granby, First Baptist Church (HV)
  • Reverend James Hassell, Kingdom Baptist Church (HV)
  • Reverend Erwin Lee Trollinger, Calvary Baptist Church of White Plains (HV)
  • Bishop Derrick Owens, Golden Sword Ministries Bronxville (HV)
  • Reverend Noelle Domico, UCC Metro Association (HV)
  • Reverend Bruce Baker, All Saints Presbyterian Church (HV)
  • Reverend Doctor Allen Paul Weaver, Bethesda Baptist Church (HV)
  • Pastor Wilbert Preston, Christ’s Temple Greater International PHC (HV)
  • Bishop Robert Girtman, Girtman Memorial Church (HV)
  • Reverend Derrick Owens, Golden Sword International Fellowship (HV)
  • Reverend Denise Smartt Sears, New Rochelle United Methodist Church (HV)
  • Reverend Susan Harriss, Christ’s Church of Rye (HV)
  • Pastor Troy DeCohen, Mount Vernon Congregational Heights Baptist Church (HV)
  • Weldon McWilliams IV, PhD, Youth Minister, First Baptist Church of Spring Valley (HV)
  • Rabbi Adam Baldachin, Montebello Jewish Center (HV)
  • Reverend Melvin Mungin, St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church, Spring Valley (HV)
  • Father Owen Thompson, Grace Episcopal Church, Nyack (HV)
  • Pastor Joel Michel, French Speaking Baptist Church, Spring Valley (HV)
  • Pastor Troy DeCohen, Mount Vernon Heights Congregational Church (HV)
  • Pastor Ronald Grant, Shiloh Baptist Church, Hudson and President, Empire State Baptist Missionary Convention (HV)
  • Reverend Dr. Allen Paul Weaver, Jr., Bethesda Baptist Church of New Rochelle (HV)
  • Reverend DeQuincy M. Hentz, Shiloh Baptist Church of New Rochelle (HV)
  • Reverend Roderick Pearson, Pastor & Executive Director, St. Mark Remnant Ministries, Inc. and Suffolk County Office of Minority Affairs (LI)
  • Reverend Michael P. Catanzaro, First Presbyterian Church in Canton (NC)
  • Reverend Joel Miller, Interim Minister, Unitarian Universalist Church, Canton (NC)
  • Reverend Floyd Flake, Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Cathedral, Queens (NYC)
  • Reverend Patrick H. Young, First Baptist Church of East Elmhurst (NYC)
  • Reverend Dr. Calvin Rice, New Jerusalem Baptist Church, Queens (NYC)
  • Reverend Frederick Crawford, Union Grove Baptist Church, Bronx (NYC)
  • Reverend Dr. Carl L. Washington, Jr., New Mount Zion Baptist Church in Harlem and Moderator, United Missionary Baptist Association (NYC)
  • Reverend Dr. J. Albert Bush, Sr., Walker Memorial Baptist Church, Bronx (NYC)
  • Rabbi Ari Hart, Co-Founder of Uri Ltzedek and Associate Rabbi of the Riverdale Jewish Center, Bronx (NYC)
  • Reverend Lisa Jenkins, St. Matthew Baptist Church, Harlem (NYC)
  • Reverend Patricia Morris, The New Springfield MBC of Harlem (NYC)
  • Reverend Sean P. Gardner, the East Ward Missionary Baptist Church, Harlem (NYC)
  • Reverend Renee Washington Gardner, Memorial Baptist Church (NYC)
  • Reverend Lemuel Mobley, Living Stone Baptist Church, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Bishop Mitchell Taylor, Center of Hope International, Long Island City (NYC)
  • Bishop Orlando Findlayter, Senior Pastor, New Hope Christian Fellowship, Chairman, Churches United to Save and Heal (CUSH), Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Robert Waterman, Antioch Baptist Church, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Clinton Miller, Brown Memorial Baptist Church (NYC)
  • Reverend Alfred Cockfield Jr., God’s Batallion of Prayer, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Gilford Monrose, Mt. Sinai Church of God 7th Day, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Dr. Ahmah Jaber, President, Islamic Missions of America, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Verold Matthew, New Horizon Gospel Ministry, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Faithlyn Morrison, New Hope Christian Fellowship, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Elder John Williams, New Creations Ministry, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Terry Lee, Byways and Hedges Youth for Christ Ministry, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Maxine Williamson, Jehovah Jirey Ministries, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Jose Humphreys, Metro Hope Covenant Church, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor James Osei-kofi, Bethesda Healing Center, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Bishop Lubin Moise, Haitians United for Progress, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Bishop Vaden Grant, Brooklyn HELPS Ministry, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Johnson Olatonde, Prayer Keys Ministry, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Shane Vidal, Maranatha SDA Church, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Jean Leeds, In His Care Ministry, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Bishop Randolph Bowen, Guiding Light Pentecostal Church, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Glen Lawrence, The Worship Center, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Leroy Taylor, Bethel Worship Center, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Jean Pier Osungu, Mission of Evangelism, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Pastor Lorenzo Williamson, Deeper Life Tabernacle, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Bishop Anthony Gutzmore, Emmanuel Pentecostal Church, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Bishop Calvin Spencer, New Bethel Ministries, Brooklyn (NYC)
  • Reverend Luis-Alfredo Cartagena Zayas, Associate Pastor for Outreach Park Avenue Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) & United Church of Christ (NYC)
  • Reverend Arthur Jones, Martin Luther King Commission (ST)
  • Reverend Hyun Joon Kim, Sara Jane Memorial and United Methodist Church (ST)
  • Pastor Stephen Kulu, New Generation Ministries (WNY)
  • Pastor James Giles, Back to Basics Ministries (WNY)
  • Pastor Vernal Lee Harris, Jr., Prince of Peace Temple Church of God in Christ (WNY)

A chart of the regional breakdown of the $3.4 billion in direct economic value and 1.3 million New Yorkers who will experience higher wages as a result of the increase is available here.

This month, 85 business leaders from across New York expressed support for the Governor’s Fight for Fair Pay campaign. The Governor is urging New Yorkers to join the #Fight4FairPay campaign by contacting their state legislators; details are available on the Fight for Fair Pay website.

A reasonable minimum wage can help improve the standard of living for workers, reduce poverty, encourage fair and more efficient business practices, and ensure that the most vulnerable members of the workforce can contribute to the economy. An increase in the minimum wage will affect women and adults most, and lift more than 100,000 New Yorkers out of poverty.

More than 594,000 New Yorkers earn the current minimum wage of $8.75 per hour. The State has taken action to raise the minimum wage incrementally from $7.25, when Governor Cuomo came to office, to $9.00 by the end of 2015. This progress has been important, but it has not been enough to make up fully for a trend that had seen the minimum wage fall far below the average hourly wage in the state, now over $30. The Governor proposes to again raise the minimum wage to increase earnings for many wage earners in low-income households, which will also aid local economies.

 

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