Bilbray calls for minimum-wage increase

Democratic congressional candidate Erin Bilbray said Friday the national minimum wage should be raised to $15 per hour — more than twice the current rate — to boost the middle class and help those barely making ends meet.

She also argued for an “amnesty” of the so-called “nanny tax” so parents aren’t burdened with spending money on payroll, Social Security, Medicare and federal and state income taxes for baby sitters paid more than $1,800 a year.

Bilbray said helping the middle class is her top concern if she wins a seat in the House of Representatives.

“They’re scared, especially the middle class,” Bilbray said in an interview with the Review-Journal editorial board. “They’re worried about their children, their future. ... They’re hoping things are getting better, but don’t really (see) things getting better.”

Bilbray said she doesn’t buy the argument that mostly teenagers and young people work at low-wage fast-food places such as McDonalds. She said she was having coffee in one the other day and all the workers appeared older than her. She’s 45.

“I think we need a minimum wage where people can have a decent lifestyle,” Bilbray said.

Asked if she thought that could lead to job losses with businesses cutting workers to save money, Bilbray said no because higher wages could lead to more spending, pumping money back into the economy.

“I believe this will help the economy and make it stronger,” she argued. “I think when you give the middle class money it helps us all.”

As for the nanny tax, Bilbray noted that some of her daughters’ friends don’t get child care after school because an older sibling takes care of them instead until the mother or father gets home from work.

On corporate taxes, Bilbray said she’s against lowering them, although at 35 percent the rate is among the world’s highest. In fact, she said incentives should end that prompt companies to move overseas and tax loopholes should be closed.

Bilbray said she believes in a balanced budget and said finding fraud and cutting waste would help. Also, she said she would propose cutting congressional salaries by 10 percent. Members of Congress make $174,000 a year.

But she said she would not touch the costly Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs to balance the budget. Bilbray argued former President Bill Clinton balanced the budget without tweaking such entitlement programs.

“You can do it by cutting waste and cutting loopholes,” she said.

Bilbray is challenging Rep. Joe Heck, R-Nev., who represents the 3rd Congressional District in Southern Nevada.

Bilbray said she differs greatly with Heck on the activities of the National Security Agency, which has been found to have been collecting phone data of millions of Americans. Last year, Heck voted against defunding the program.

Bilbray said she’s concerned about post-9/11 violations of Americans’ civil liberties.

“I do not think that law-abiding citizens should ever have to deal with that,” Bilbray said, adding, “I would never agree to give up my civil liberties for safety. I think freedom is first.”

Contact Laura Myers at lmyers@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919. Find her on Twitter: @lmyerslvrj.