New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio speaks during a news conference about Homeland Security funding in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

1. T.J. Maxx, Marshalls to boost US workers’ pay to at least $9 an hour
2. Wal-Mart to give nearly 40 pct of workers pay raises
3. White House: Higher wages needed to make up for stagnation
4. Protests for $15-an-hour wages set to expand Wednesday
5. Seattle CEO to cut his pay so every employee earns at least $70,000

NEW YORK (AP) — Mayor Bill de Blasio is asking prominent New York City business leaders to raise their workers’ starting pay to $13 an hour.

De Blasio appeared Thursday at a gathering of city business leaders known as Association for a Better New York.

De Blasio has asked Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature to raise New York’s minimum wage to $13.

Albany to this point has balked. The state’s current minimum wage, $8.75, is slated to go to $9 at year’s end.

Cuomo’s new budget plan would raise it to $11.50 in New York City and $10.50 outside the city.

The business association has not always seen eye-to-eye with the liberal mayor.

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