In recent years, minimum wage is a heavily debated topic. The last minimum wage increase occurred in 2009, rising from $6.55 to $7.25 (webapps.dol.gov). A common number thrown around that seems to work the best for everyone is $10.10. If minimum wage was to increase, it would spur job growth, lower unemployment rates, reduce government spending, and lessen poverty bringing many Americans into the middle class. The rise of minimum wage is long awaited and needed in the quick acceleration of the economy. Americans can all agree that America is struggling to keep unemployment rates low. If the government raised the minimum wage to $10.10, a projected 85,000 jobs will be created in the next three years. Along with the increase of minimum wage, everyone will be making more money, otherwise known as wage inflation. If the minimum wage goes up three dollars, people who make more than minimum wage will get more money to compensate for employees that make minimum wage. The modern economy is far too ahead of the measly $7.25 minimum wage workers make. …show more content…
According to a 2014 Congressional Budget Office report, increasing the minimum wage to $10.10 would lift 900,000 people out of poverty. If we put that number into perspective, Shenandoah county has a population of 42,217 as of 2014. According to datausa.io, 12.2% of the county lives in poverty. That is roughly 5,000 of our neighbors and acquaintances struggling to make ends meet everyday. If the base wage was raised less people would live in poverty and could focus on other important issues like their kids