LIVE FROM HARRISBURG WITH MORE ON WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THIS. MICHAEL. WELL, LORI AND JERRY, I’LL TELL YOU, IT’S BEEN MORE THAN 15 YEARS SINCE LAWMAKERS RAISED THE MINIMUM WAGE TO 7.25 HERE IN PENNSYLVANIA. NOW, TONIGHT, WE SPOKE WITH RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE A RENEWED SENSE OF HOPE. BUT THEY ALL TELL US THAT SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE AS THEY BELIEVE THAT THE KEYSTONE STATE IS WELL BEHIND THE TIMES. HOW DO YOU LIVE OFF? 725 THAT IS CRAZY. TONIGHT, RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN HARRISBURG ARE REACTING TO A POTENTIAL INCREASE IN PENNSYLVANIA’S MINIMUM WAGE, BUT ALSO THE FACT THAT IT’S STILL 7.25. I STARTED WORKING WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OLD AT MCDONALD’S IN MY LOCAL AREA, AND IT WAS 725 THEN TO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS LATER, IT’S STILL THE SAME, SAME PRICE. I THINK THAT’S OUTRAGEOUS. MANY OF THE KEYSTONE STATE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS HAVE LONG SINCE RAISED THEIR MINIMUM WAGE, WITH SOME SURPASSING THE PROPOSED $15. HARRISBURG RESIDENT BOURDAIN SMITH SAYS THAT $15 THAT ISN’T ENOUGH, BUT HE’S GLAD IT’S SOMETHING DEFINITELY A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, I WOULD SAY. YOU KNOW, IT WOULD BE HARD TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO LIVE OFF 7 OR $15 A DAY RIGHT NOW. BUT YOU KNOW, IT’S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT’S GOING TO HELP COMPARED TO THE 725. DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE NIKKI RIVERA, WHO COVERS EAST PETERSBURG AND PARTS OF MANHEIM TOWNSHIP AND LANCASTER, AGREES. IF THERE’S SOMEBODY THAT YOU VALUE IN HIRING, THEN YOU VALUE IN PAYING THEM AN AFFORDABLE LIVING WAGE. 15 GETS US CLOSER TO THAT NUMBER. IT DOESN’T REACH IT, BUT IT GETS US CLOSER THAN 725. BUT NOT EVERYONE SEES IT THE SAME WAY. SOME LAWMAKERS HAVE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT HOW IT COULD IMPACT SMALL BUSINESSES. IF YOU’RE PAYING YOUR EMPLOYEES $15, AS REQUIRED BY GOVERNMENT, SOMEONE’S GOING TO PAY FOR THAT. SO CHANCES ARE WHAT YOU’RE PAYING FOR A HAMBURGER RIGHT NOW IS GOING TO DOUBLE. IF THE MINIMUM WAGE GOES TO $15 AN HOUR. SO WE SPOKE TO A SMALL BUSINESS TO HEAR WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY. I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THE CUSTOMER HAS TO REALLY PICK IT UP ON THE BACK END. YOU KNOW, LIKE PEOPLE RAISE THEIR PRICES ALL THE TIME. KAYLA CABRERA OF NICO’S PIZZA ADDRESSES THE CLAIM THAT CUSTOMERS HAVE TO PICK UP THE EXPENSE. BUT SHE SAYS IN THE END, IT’S ABOUT DOING RIGHT BY YOUR EMPLOYEES TO KEEP A GOOD EMPLOYEE, YOU NEED TO PAY YOUR EMPLOYEE, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP A GOOD EMPLOYEE, YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE A LIVABLE WAGE. THEY CAN PAY THEIR BILLS, COME TO WORK, GET THEIR KIDS TO DAYCARE. SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK IT’S WORTH IT TO PAY YOUR EMPLOYEES MORE. AND AS WE MENTIONED, THE HOUSE PASSED THAT VOTE. HOWEVER, IT IS NOT CLEAR WHEN OR IF THE SENATE WILL TAKE I
Harrisburg residents react to potential minimum wage increase
Updated: 11:17 PM EDT Mar 25, 2026
Residents and businesses in Harrisburg are reacting to the potential increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, which has remained at $7.25 for more than 15 years, with many expressing hope for change while acknowledging the state’s lag behind neighboring regions.Kayla Cabrera, manager at Niko’s Pizza, questioned, «How do you live off of $7.25?»Bordain Smith, a Harrisburg resident, shared his disbelief, saying, «That is crazy.» He reflected on his experience, stating, «I started working when I was 14 years old at McDonald’s in my local area, and it was $7.25 then. To think that you know 10 years later that it’s still the same price, I think that’s outrageous.»Surrounding states increase minimum wageMany surrounding states have already increased their minimum wage, with some surpassing the proposed $15.Smith believes that while $15 isn’t enough, it’s a positive step forward. «It’s definitely a step in the right direction. I would say, you know, it’d be hard to find somewhere to live off of $15 a day right now, but you know it’s definitely something that’s going to help compared to $7.25,» he said.Democratic Rep. Nikki Rivera, who represents East Petersburg and parts of Manheim Township and Lancaster City, agrees with the need for change. «If there’s somebody that you value in hiring, then you value in paying them an affordable living wage. $15 gets us closer to that number. It doesn’t reach it, but it gets us closer than $7.25,» Rivera said.Lawmakers concerned that customers would bear expenseHowever, some lawmakers have raised concerns about the impact on small businesses. They argue that if businesses are required to pay employees $15 an hour, the cost will likely be passed on to consumers, potentially doubling the price of items like hamburgers.Cabrera addressed the claim that customers would bear the expense, noting, «I don’t even know if the customer has to really pick it up on the backend, you know, like people raise their prices all the time.»Importance of paying employees a livable wageShe emphasized the importance of paying employees a livable wage, saying, «To keep a good employee, you need to pay your employee. You need to make sure they have a livable wage so they can pay their bills, come to work, get their kids to daycare, so at the end of the day, I think it’s worth it to pay your employee more.»The vote on the minimum wage increase has passed the House, but it remains unclear when or if the Senate will take it up for a vote.
Residents and businesses in Harrisburg are reacting to the potential increase in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, which has remained at $7.25 for more than 15 years, with many expressing hope for change while acknowledging the state’s lag behind neighboring regions.
Kayla Cabrera, manager at Niko’s Pizza, questioned, «How do you live off of $7.25?»
Bordain Smith, a Harrisburg resident, shared his disbelief, saying, «That is crazy.» He reflected on his experience, stating, «I started working when I was 14 years old at McDonald’s in my local area, and it was $7.25 then. To think that you know 10 years later that it’s still the same price, I think that’s outrageous.»
Surrounding states increase minimum wage
Many surrounding states have already increased their minimum wage, with some surpassing the proposed $15.
Smith believes that while $15 isn’t enough, it’s a positive step forward. «It’s definitely a step in the right direction. I would say, you know, it’d be hard to find somewhere to live off of $15 a day right now, but you know it’s definitely something that’s going to help compared to $7.25,» he said.
Democratic Rep. Nikki Rivera, who represents East Petersburg and parts of Manheim Township and Lancaster City, agrees with the need for change. «If there’s somebody that you value in hiring, then you value in paying them an affordable living wage. $15 gets us closer to that number. It doesn’t reach it, but it gets us closer than $7.25,» Rivera said.
Lawmakers concerned that customers would bear expense
However, some lawmakers have raised concerns about the impact on small businesses. They argue that if businesses are required to pay employees $15 an hour, the cost will likely be passed on to consumers, potentially doubling the price of items like hamburgers.
Cabrera addressed the claim that customers would bear the expense, noting, «I don’t even know if the customer has to really pick it up on the backend, you know, like people raise their prices all the time.»
Importance of paying employees a livable wage
She emphasized the importance of paying employees a livable wage, saying, «To keep a good employee, you need to pay your employee. You need to make sure they have a livable wage so they can pay their bills, come to work, get their kids to daycare, so at the end of the day, I think it’s worth it to pay your employee more.»
The vote on the minimum wage increase has passed the House, but it remains unclear when or if the Senate will take it up for a vote.
