Let's move over to the Pacific Coast for a bit on the minimum wage battle. Washington has been a very liberal state for a while now.
At the beginning of 2001, they became the first state to incorporate the CPI to annually adjust their minimum wage by inflation. Seattle itself initiated a $15 minimum wage increase within its municipality over the span of 3-7 years. They became the second state after Colorado to legalize marijuana in all forms, intents and purposes. All the while many naysayers believed that both of these acts would lead to Washington's economic downfall. Well according to the statistics, the naysayers would be wrong.
Many politicians on the opposing side believe that increasing the minimum wage to such an unprecedented rate will lead to loss of jobs due to the inability for employers to pay their employees. However, the statistics as we see them today shine a different light on this claim. Since 2001 when Washington first implemented the inflation index in their minimum wage adjustment, there has been a steady decline in unemployment in the state of Washington outside of the brief recession period of 2008-2009. The same can be said for the employment growth in the state. Since 2001, there has been in increase in available jobs in Washington outside of the recession period as well.
It would seem that Washington has been doing something right all along in their progressive movements. Agree? Disagree? Comment your thoughts, the more the merrier. That is all I will present on this post, more to come in the future. D. Politopolous out.
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