Should minimum wage be raised? Absolutely to what? $?$?$

I won't quote a dollar numbers. What I will say, is that it needs to be a single living wage.

Defined as enough for a teen out of high school to reasonably afford Rent of a 1 bedroom apartment, transportation, food, healthcare, education.

INDEPENDENT of mom and dad at the rate of 40 hours a week. 160 hours a month or less.

That's supposed to be the minimum. Not the top tier of the skilled pay scale. More skilled trades should be paying FAMILY LIVING WAGES. Which of Defined as a wage that is MODESTLY capable of SELF SUFFICIENTLY supporting a family of 4 at the rate of 160 work hours a month 40 hours a week.

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FreeSpirit1 · 51-55, F

Its15.00 in my state, and it's hurting small businesses with entry level positions and even 15.00 is not enough according to experts [quote]an adult with no children would need to make $21.35 to support themselves in Massachusetts, according to MIT’s Living Wage Calculator. That number increases to $45.57 if that adult has a child.[/quote]

Some people think a little sandwich shop can survive paying 21.35 or 45.57 per hour for a guy making sandwiches , they can't..McDonald's can figure it and some have, by eliminating jobs and going automated..

When I graduated High School I had roommates and two jobs, it's tough but not in my wildest dreams did I expect either one of those jobs to pay what is expected now, I was a high school graduate with entry level non skilled jobs.

NativePortlander1970

@FreeSpirit1 Class of '89 myself, my first job after graduation was $5.00 an hour. Every friday night I'd deposit most of my check then hit McDonald's for my weekly qp w/cheese, medium fries and medium coca cola, $3.50 total, a year later the value combo meal was started, that same choice went to $2.99, the minimum wage was $3.35 an hour. Every time they raised the minimum that meal would go up to reflect the wages being paid, now after covid is nearly over, McDonald's still pays $15.50 an hour here to keep employees, and that same meal locally is $11.00 now. They will never care to understand how real world economics works.