Minimum Wage Increases Today
Investment Daily News, 7/24/07

Obstructionist Republicans wouldn’t allow it to come to a vote under the last Congress, but the Democrats made sure they made it a priority when they took office earlier this year.

Now, finally, after a decade, the minimum wage will increase 70 cents. It’s the longest amount of time it’s gone without a boost since the minimum wage was introduced. American workers earned this raise, and while it’s a shame that Republicans blocked it for so long, finally we can celebrate that it will go into effect and improve the lives of families across America.

And it isn’t just workers that are happy about the changes. According to one columnist:

In Georgia, one of the reddest of the “red states,” one might expect an almost universal denouncement of the raise in the minimum wage. In fact, the opposite is true.

Business owners and managers I’ve spoken with aren’t concerned. They’re glad the minimum wage is going up because workers deserve it and they believe it will help our local economy.

[…]

“Higher wages benefit business by increasing consumer purchasing power, reducing costly employee turnover, raising productivity and improving product quality, customer satisfaction and company reputation,” a statement by Business for a Fair Minimum Wage explains.

“A fair minimum wage is a sound investment in the future of our communities and our nation,” concludes the statement, which I endorsed along with hundreds of business people nationwide, including the owners of Georgia businesses such as Morning Glory Farm in Clermont, North Georgia Woodworks in Toccoa, and Sugar Magnolia B&B, Flyer Candy Bars, Simply Web and Grand Central Pizza in Atlanta.

It’s not just good politics, it’s good economic policy that is good for workers and their employers.

http://www.investmentdailynews.com/2007/07/24/minimum-wage-increases-today/