WBOB Original Reads

LISTEN: Doreen Costa's Bad Bill of the Week - Tipped Off

2/25/2015

On Monday, WBOB's Kevin Aherne interviewed Rep. Aaron Regunberg on the Cobblestone Press to discuss his proposed legislation, House bill 2015-H 5364, which would raise Rhode Island's subminimum wage for tipped workers for the first time in nearly 20 years.

Tuesday on the Wild Side, Rep. Doreen Costa -- who is also a restaurant owner -- blasted the bill, and shared her belief that if a server isn't happy with their tip earnings, they should seek a new line of work.

Listen to Rep. Doreen Costa's Comments Below

Click Play
and Enjoy!

Doreen M. Costa represents District 31, which includes Exeter and North Kingstown, since being elected in November 2010. In April 2014, she was appointed as the vice chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee. She is also a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

The controversial bill is likely to divide much of the General Assembly, many of whose members are restaurant owners themselves. The proposed legislation would gradually raise the state’s tipped minimum wage from its current rate of $2.89 per hour until it is in line with Rhode Island’s regular minimum wage by the year 2020. While the base rate of hourly pay would increase, wait staff would still receive tips, as they do in the seven other states that do not have a separate subminimum wage.

Aaron Regunberg was elected to House District 4 in 2014 to represent Providence's Mt. Hope neighborhood. Prior to his election, he worked as an activist and education advocate. He co-founded the Providence Student Union, a nationally recognized youth nonprofit that supports young people in civic engagement.