Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed to raise the statewide minimum wage to $10.50 per hour (and $11.50 in New York City) at a speech in Buffalo March 3. Currently, the minimum wage is $8.75 per hour in New York, which will rise to $9 at the end of this year. "We need to increase the minimum wage this year to ensure we continue to have a strong workforce, which is key to economic success," Cuomo, a Democrat, said. "As our local businesses continue to grow, it’s time to provide additional support for our low-wage workers to keep New York moving forward." Any proposal would have to get through the Republican-controlled state senate. “We will review the proposal while keeping in mind that the governor, Senate, and Assembly recently enacted a minimum wage increase that is still being phased in,” said Senate GOP spokesman Scott Reif said in the Buffalo News.