Federal Minimum Wage Should Be… [POLL]

New poll out says that 80% of Americans support raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour.  That’s a lot of support for the movement, considering the current national minimum wage in the good ole U.S.A. is $7.25. Do the math. That’s way below poverty level.

Here in Maine recent increases in the State minimum wage now has the minimum at $12.15. Still, obviously a struggle, but much better than the Federal number.

For the record, Washington, D.C. has put the $15 minimum wage into effect. The highest state minimum wage is California which is at $14 per hour. Washington State is at $13.69 and Massachusetts not far behind at $13.50.

Only the other end of the spectrum the lowest state minimum wage is in Georgia, which is at $5.15, as is the state of Wyoming. Yes, that’s lower than the federal minimum, which they get around because of a bill designed to exactly that.  There should be a law, against that law.

We don’t have to be economics majors to know that bumping up the federal minimum wage is a) not that easy, and b) not without other issues. Cause and Effect comes into play. If companies are forced to raise the minimum they pay out, they have to find that income somewhere and it could lead to raised prices for virtually every single thing.

Can we find a solution? 80% support of the federal increase is a national poll from Axios. Let’s find out how Mainers feel.