Readers React: What Do You Think about Increasing the Minimum Wage?

One of the points Governor Andrew Cuomo made when he delivered his annual State of the State address earlier this month was increasing the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75.

When we asked readers on Facebook what they thought, most people agreed with idea. Of those who said it wasn’t enough of an increase, raising the minimum wage to $10 per hour was the consensus of what it should be.

“I don't know how anyone could live on $7.25 an hour,” said Theresa O'Leary. “Minimum wage should be at least $10 an hour.”

John Meyers, Jr., agreed saying it should be $10 per hour at least.

“No one can survive on that,” he wrote.

Ilene Meister also thought minimum wage should be at least $10 per hour.

Business owner Richard Baehr said he doesn’t pay any of his employees less than $10 an hour.

“…so let's do this already,” he said.

Many compared the pay they got at their first jobs to what the minimum wage is today, noting they couldn’t believe it hadn’t increased more in that time already.

“It was $5 when I was in high school 20 years ago,” said Jenn Kender. “I can't believe that it's only gone up $2.25 in that time.”

Laura DeZego made $5.15 per hour when she started working, and Lisa Roman reported the minimum was $3.75 for her first job.

“So at least it's going up a bit,” DeZego said. “Should be more though!”

Roman thought it should be more, too.

Jaiem Fleischmann wasn’t convinced it was a good idea, noting minimum wage isn't supposed to be a “living wage.”

He said, “It's merely a starting point in life.”

Although Fleischmann recognized many people rely on minimum wage jobs when the economy is as bad as it is now, payroll is only a part of the cost an employee is to a business owner.

“If a business owner wants to pay his new employees (who are typically little/no skill and no experience) better than minimum wage, and has the cash flow to do it, then bravo to him,” he said. “But making a mandatory increase will hurt many other businesses.”

Continue the conversation here in the comments section, below. What do you think of Governor Cuomo’s proposal to raise minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.75?