Shapiro renews $15 Pennsylvania wage priority in November report

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is prioritizing a $15-an-hour state minimum wage, Fox News reported on November 14, renewing a target that appeared in his February budget proposal.

When Fox News contacted Shapiro’s office, it referred the outlet to the governor’s comments in an interview with Don Lemon about raising the wage to $15 an hour.

The governor’s February 3 budget announcement had already proposed a $15 hourly minimum beginning January 1, 2027. That date was part of the budget proposal; the announcement presented it as a proposed change rather than an enacted wage increase.

Fox also interviewed Tom Savidge, an economist at the American Institute for Economic Research, who warned that steep increases could lead small businesses to raise prices, reduce hours or limit hiring.

In its proposed 2026–27 budget, the administration argued that raising the wage could support spending and reduce turnover, presenting those as expected benefits of the administration’s proposal.