Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown is one of three people who will soon help determine whether New York State raises its minimum wage for fast-food workers to $10.50 an hour.Brown was named as a member of a wage board that will make its recommendation by July. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced its formation in a speech last week.
There are reportedly 200,000 fast-food workers in New York, many of whom receive some form of public assistance.
The mayor says he has not yet made up his own mind on the issue and will go into the process with no pre-conceived notions.
"I know that fast food workers feel that they could use more money to earn a living wage. The business community is concerned about the loss of resources and profitability. I believe that there is a happy medium that can be achieved," Brown told WBFO Tuesday.
Also on the panel, according to syracuse.com. are Kevin Ryan, chairman and founder of the online flash-sale website Gilt, and Mike Fishman, secretary-treasurer of the Service Employees International Union. The two are considered representatives of business and labor.
"I want to be open-minded. I want to listen to the community. I want to listen to business and try to determine the best way to more forward to strengthen the state and to strengthen working men and women," Brown added.
Earlier this year, Cuomo assembled a similar wage board that raised the wage for tipped workers.