Letters: Minimum wage in the Bay Area
Re “Minimum wage debate reignites age-old arguments,” Column, June 30
Michael Hiltzik doesn’t need to look all the way to American Samoa for an example to debunk the theory that boosting the minimum wage increases unemployment. The San Francisco Bay Area’s economy is booming, and it’s doing this in a state with one of the country’s highest minimum wages.
In May, the counties of San Francisco, Marin and San Mateo each reported unemployment rates no higher than 5.4%. At the same time, San Francisco’s minimum wage — $10.55 an hour — is the country’s highest. In March, the city of San Jose raised its minimum wage to $10.
The sky isn’t falling. With the emerging economic recovery, the Bay Area has been booming with jobs. And unlike tax cuts for rich people, minimum wage increases get spent almost entirely on consumption, which strengthens the recovery.
Eugene Mullaly
San Diego
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