IJReview reports:
On the heels of the Los Angeles City Council’s 14 to 1 vote to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 over the next 5 years, Mayor Eric Garcetti sent residents of the city a celebratory email. One resident and business owner in the city emailed back a response that’s certainly worthy of consideration.
Here’s an excerpt of the businessman’s letter. I’d encourage you to read the whole letter here on IJReview.
People who work in minimum-wage jobs do not live on their salaries. They live at home with parents or relatives, or they share accommodations with others. They don’t expect to support themselves or their families with their salaries. They could hardly do that even if you raised the minimum wage to $25 an hour in Los Angeles. The minimum wage job is the first job one gets. He doesn’t stay there long if he is responsible. So raising the minimum wage will do nothing to alleviate poverty, and it might even increase poverty because fewer people will now be able to find entry-level jobs.
