Katie McGinty, a Democratic candidate for Governor, announced today that she is proposing that the state raise its minimum wage from the federal rate of $7.25 an hour to $9 an hour.

“One of the best ways to get the economy moving is to put money into the pockets of people who work,” McGinty said. “Too many wage earners, working moms in particular, are holding down full-time, 40-hour-a-week jobs and still finding it too hard to make ends meet and support families. That’s because the minimum wage hasn’t kept pace with the rising cost of living today. That needs to change.”

Under the candidate’s plan not only would the minimum wage be raised by $1.75 an hour, but it would also include a cost-of-living adjustment tied to the Consumer’s Price Index. The purpose of this would be to make sure wages keep pace with inflation.

“Wages are directly tied to economic growth and job creation,” McGinty continued. “If we want to rev up our economy, then we have to pay people a fair wage that rewards them justly for the contributions they’re making to our economy.”

McGinty also noted that several other states have already raised their minimum wage above the federal standard, including New York which is planning to reach a $9 minimum wage by 2016. She also mentioned that President Obama proposed raising the federal rate to $9 an hour in his State of the Union address earlier this year.

Katie McGinty is a former Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection. Other candidates for Governor include fellow former DEP Secretary John Hanger, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, and former Secretary of the Department of Revenue Tom Wolf. State Treasurer Rob McCord is also widely believed to be seeking the nomination although he has yet to officially announce.