Wolf says he anticipates bipartisanship on workforce-strengthening plan

However, the governor says he’s much less sure about his longtime push to raise Pennsylvania’s minimum wage.

• Katie Meyer
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  Katie Meyer was WITF’s Capitol Bureau Chief from 2016-2020. While at WITF, she covered all things state politics for public radio stations throughout Pennsylvania. Katie came to Harrisburg by way of New York City, where she worked at Fordham University’s public radio station, WFUV, as an anchor, general assignment reporter, and co-host of an original podcast. A 2016 graduate of Fordham, she earned several awards for her work at WFUV, including four 2016 Gracies.
  
  Katie is a native New Yorker, though she originally hails from Troy, a little farther up the Hudson River. She can attest that the bagels are still pretty good there.
  
  WITF's Capitol Bureau Chief Desk is partially funded through generous gifts made in the memory of Tony May through the Anthony J. May Memorial Fund.
  
  For more information about Tony May, click here.

 Matt Slocum / AP Photo

FILE PHOTO: In this March 21, 2019 file photo, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf speaks during a news conference at the John H. Taggart School library, in Philadelphia.

(Harrisburg) — Governor Tom Wolf said Monday that he thinks he can get a bipartisan deal on a raft of workforce development recommendations he’s including in this year’s proposed budget.

However, he said his biggest labor initiative — a minimum wage increase — may not fare as well.

The workforce proposals came from a panel of business and labor leaders Wolf calls his Keystone Economic Development and Workforce Command Center.

Among other things, they advised the General Assembly to expand public and private childcare, make it easier to get professional licenses, and extend unemployment compensation so workers can complete longer job training programs.

Wolf said he thinks the proposals can pass the GOP-controlled legislature—but he’s not so sure about his related minimum wage proposal.

“I think broadly, this is going to engender broad-based support,” he said. “I think the minimum wage — I don’t think there’s as good an understanding as maybe there should be. That’s my bias.”

Wolf has long advocated raising Pennsylvania’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 an hour, and he’s expected to renew the call in his proposal for this year’s state budget.

Senators recently passed a smaller minimum wage increase, but the House hasn’t followed suit.

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