NORWICH – The Chenango County Board of Supervisors is saying “No” to the proposition of raising the minimum wage in New York State.

On Monday, members of the County Board passed an official resolution opposing a minimum wage increase, alleging that the benefits of a wage increase are “greatly offset by the negative consequences of same, especially in rural Upstate New York.”

The state minimum wage, currently at $9 per hour, is proposed to go up to $15 per hour for fast-food chains in New York by 2021; but Governor Andrew Cuomo aims to raise wages to $15 an hour for all workers in New York City by 2018, and for the rest of the state by 2021.

Despite good intentions of providing workers with livable wages and lifting New Yorkers out of poverty, the county board says that raising the minimum wage will have adverse affects that will push employers out of the region – and put people out of a job.

“It’s a job killer all the way,” said Smyrna Supervisor Michael Khoury.

Khoury said businesses are already struggling under the weight of regulations such as workers compensation, health insurance mandates, overhead, and high taxes. Increasing wages may be the straw that breaks the camel’s back, he said.

“There’s a law of unintended consequences ... You’re going to end up pushing companies that are really on the brink right now.”