Catherwood LibraryILR School

After three attempts and a lengthy debate, a living-wage law passed only two months ago in Hempstead, New York was repealed by a party line vote this Tuesday. Republican members of the town board defended their actions, claiming that the law---which established a minimum wage of $9 an hour with health insurance, or $10.25 an hour without---would scare away small businesses and nonprofit organizations. Several people who spoke at the board meeting, however, indicated that living-wage laws are unlikely to drive away businesses, and that the decision was all about politics.