YES
Julio Mejia
Community organizer, Merrimack Valley Project; School Committee member-elect, Greater Lawrence Technical School
Growing up living and working in Lawrence, I have witnessed families coming in who embody the American Dream, arriving in this country with nothing but determination. Where families work tirelessly in minimum-wage jobs, facing the struggle to make ends meet. Witnessing these experiences proves to me that the $15 current minimum wage in Massachusetts does not meet today’s circumstances.
In the heart of New England, our state has been a national leader in championing progressive policies. The proposal to implement a $20 minimum wage in Massachusettss is an example of committing to economic equity and social justice. I wholeheartedly support this effort, as it promises to uplift working-class families and revitalize our local and state economies.
The current minimum wage in Massachusetts still falls below providing a livable income in a state that is known for its high cost of living. Workers deserve wages that reflect reality and enable them to afford housing, health care, and education without struggling to make ends meet. A $20 minimum wage would send a positive message that Massachusetts is where we welcome all to grow, work, and thrive.
Opposition argues that an increase would harm small businesses and lead to job loss. However, a study conducted by the Center on Wage and Employment Dynamics at the University of California, Berkeley, found that an increase in the minimum wage has little to no negative impact on employment levels. In fact, it can lead to increased consumer spending, therefore stimulating local economies.
One of the most convincing arguments for a $20 minimum wage is that it could reduce our dependence on social nets and government assistance programs. Massachusetts taxpayers pick up the cost of subsidizing these low-waged workers through programs like Medicaid and food assistance. A higher minimum wage would shift the burden from taxpayers to employers, who should be responsible for giving their employees fair pay.
Supporting a $20 minimum wage isn’t just about workers’ rights; it’s about building a fairer, stronger Massachusetts for all. It’s about creating a new path toward a future where hard work is rewarded with a respectable wage and where the pursuit of the American Dream is possible for all.
NO
Jon Hurst
President, Retailers Association of Massachusetts
On Jan. 1, 2023, the minimum wage in Massachusetts reached $15, the highest mandate of any state other than California and Washington. Interestingly, if the minimum wage had been indexed to inflation over the past two decades, the rate would be about $11. Yet, advocates immediately began the push for $20.
Unlike government and health care providers that can keep raising taxes and premiums, small businesses cannot keep raising prices and hope to keep their customers. Consumer dollars simply go elsewhere, particularly in these days of purchases right on the smartphone. Consequently, small business jobs on Main Street will disappear.
Minimum wage earners are typically not family breadwinners. Rather, they are teenagers, students, moonlighters, and retirees looking to learn, earn, and stay active. Most states have teen wages, or lower rates of minimum wages for 14– to 17-year-olds. Activists in Massachusetts ignore the need for teens to have jobs for learning important skills and education savings, and oppose teen training wages, even though over 60 percent of Massachusetts voters would support such a law.
With every minimum wage increase, small businesses are faced with not only paying a new, untrained employee more per hour, but they also must raise wages up the workforce in fairness to long-term employees. And with those across-the-board wage increases come triggered increases in payroll taxes, including Social Security, Unemployment, and Paid Family and Medical Leave taxes, as well as workers’ compensation and other insurance programs. Those steep wages, payroll taxes, and premiums are added onto the highest small business health insurance premiums in the country.
As recently as 2014, the minimum wage was $8. In 2023, at $15, we’ve seen an 88 percent increase in a decade. The push to $20 would complete a 150 percent increase.
One size doesn’t fit all for employees, employers, consumers, or taxpayers. But high costs will make Massachusetts less competitive and will drive jobs and consumer dollars out of the Commonwealth. Special interests need to put their agendas in neutral for a while and allow our residents and small businesses to catch their breath and balance their family and employer budgets.
As told to Globe correspondent Linda Greenstein. To suggest a topic, please contact greensteinlm@gmail.com.