Despite staunch opposition from many in the business community, New Jersey voters on Tuesday approved a ballot question to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $8.25 on Jan. 1 and then adjust it annually based on cost of living increases.

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Today, wage hike advocates are rejoicing.

“The working poor need a hand up not a hand out,” said State Sen. President Steve Sweeney. “These are people who go to work every day. They’re not people who are looking for something for free. They’re just looking for a better opportunity (and) a better quality of life.”

There is no stopping working people when they unite around an important cause like increasing the minimum wage according to New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech.

“Thank you to the hundreds of thousands of New Jersey voters that supported ballot question #2” said low wage worker Tayzia Treadwell at a Trenton press conference this morning. “With its passage, and the additional wages we will earn, this will go a long way for working parents, to be able to support their families.”

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