Governor Christie Opposed To Putting Minimum Wage Hike Bill To Voters [VIDEO/AUDIO]

Yesterday, we told you about Senate President Steve Sweeney's plan to put a minimum wage hike to the voters. Governor Chris Christie is responding, and calls that idea, "truly ridiculous."

Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony for a new school in Long Branch, Christie told reporters that his biggest problem with the minimum wage hike bill is that the Democrats can't seem to come together on one idea.

"The Assembly Speaker wants to raise it to $8.50 an hour and passed a bill in the Assembly, now the Senate President wants to put the issue on the ballot, they can't seem to agree on on proposal" he said. "I told them all along that I am happy to discuss their idea to raise the minimum wage, but it has to be in the context of a number of other economic development and growth measures."

One thing is certain, Christie is against putting the issue to the voters.

"I will oppose amending our constitution, that is just a stupid way to do it, that is not what the constitution is there for."

Christie says the Democrats control the legislature, so if they want a minimum wage increase they should send him a bill.

"Amending the constitution is just another way of saying that you don't want to acknowledge the fact that I play a role in all this, and the people elected me to play a role in this, so we'll see what happens."

Sweeney said he decided to take the issue to voters after Christie indicated he wouldn't sign a bill tying future automatic yearly minimum wage adjustments to the Consumer Price Index.

The Gloucester County lawmaker insists that the indexing provision remain in the bill to give low-wage workers and the business owners who pay them predictability and consistency.

Courtesy Governor's Office