California Democrats agree to delay health care worker minimum wage increase to help balance budget

By ADAM BEAM
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Democrats in California have agreed to delay a minimum wage increase for about 426,000 health care workers to help balance the budget. Health care workers were supposed to see a raise on July 1. Now their pay will increase on Oct. 15 if state revenues in the first three months of the fiscal year are 3% above expectations. If that doesn’t happen, the increase would start in January. The delay is part of an agreement to close an estimated $46.8 billion budget deficit this year. Lawmakers will likely vote on the budget proposal next week.