Wage hike hasn’t caused sky to fall

By Letter to the Editor on October 24, 2018.

Re: “Opposition to minimum wage increase is shortsighted, unwarranted,” Oct. 17

The letter from my friend Greg Cote regarding the effects of minimum wage increases was spot on in its analysis, but a bit short in the arithmetic department. His calculations were that half of those earning less than $15 per hour getting a raise of $1.40 would result in an additional $8-$9 million annually which would go into the local economy.

He neglected to factor in the other 3,900 who had been earning more than $13.60 and would also receive a raise, though a smaller one. If one makes the assumption that these people would earn on average an extra 70 cents per hour, the increase to the local economy will actually be closer to $13-$14 million each year.

Don’t forget that there have been two previous annual increases to the minimum wage, and the sky has not yet fallen.