Minimum wage hikes expected in Colorado, Montana, Ohio
Hourly workers in Washington will be seeing a bit more money in their pockets. The Huffington Post reports that the minimum wage in Washington will be raised to $9.04 an hour, towering above the federal minimum wage of $7.25. This would make Washington the first state to raise minimum wage above $9 an hour.
Workers in Ohio, Colorado and Montana will also see a wage hike of between 28 and 30 cents. Oregon announced a similar move in September. Arizona, Florida and Vermont are expected to announce similar hikes next month.
Proponents for low-wage workers contend that higher minimum wages not only help workers provide for themselves and their families, but they also help put money back into local economies.
In 1998, Washington passed a proposal that tied minimum wage to the national consumer price index, thus assuring that minimum wage would rise according to inflation. Some states have followed in Washington’s footsteps with similar initiatives.
