Minimum Wage Case Study

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Pages: 3

Issue
This memorandum defines and analyzes the need to increase Federal minimum wage. As we look at our budget the funding provided to welfare programs such as Special Needs Assistance Program (SNAP); Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program each year has only increased. One of the major outliers is low income households. If the Federal minimum wage increased the overall outcome would not only assist survivability in a household but ensure the economical sustainment and overall success. An increase in minimum wage would benefit the United States.

Background
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Implementation of this policy would enhance overall economic stability while reducing or eliminating unnecessary costs associated to public assistant spending.
Several studies in recent years have shown the states that raised minimum wages compared to neighboring states had no effect on unemployment rates. Additionally, the Raise the Wage Act of 2017 would provide over 41 million workers a raise. This allows an increase of 31 billion dollars to lift families out of poverty. In addition, to public assistant spending homelessness has mildly decreased only due to federal funding increasing the program over the last few years.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates (CBO) that low-wage workers as a group will gain more income from the higher wage than they lose from reduced employment. The same can be true for most individuals, as well, if the employment losses are spread broadly over the low-wage population. Proposals like this would eliminate the gradual erosion of the value of the minimum wage and the need for periodic, potentially contentious legislative debates to restore it. Such debates have been a feature of the minimum wage since its