Mason Kolean

ELA 10

Kuehn

11/01/16

Letter to the next President

Over the past few years rumors have been vastly spread about the rise of minimum wage. The first thing that crosses the minds of most is a larger sum written on their checks. Every person out there wants more than what they deserve because money brings out the selfishness and ignorance in people. This makes them oblivious to negative aspects. People need to look past the false front this campaign puts on, and start focusing on how this will affect our economy. The raising of minimum wage would do more harm than good, posing problems people have yet to consider.

One negative cause the rise of age would cause is a chain reaction of rises in prices. This is an example of a cause and effect action. Money that companies small, and large use to pay their employees comes from a balanced pricing system that ensures everyone receives a certain amount of profit. John Rimarcik, an owner of many restaurants admits to paying his workers minimum wage and if the amount was increased he could not afford to keep running his businesses the way he does now. “The proposed surge would cost him more than $200,000 per year” said Rimarcik. If the minimum wage goes up and companies have to pay their employees more, the companies will be forced to get the money to pay them, and the easiest way to do that is charge more for their products. This will affect small businesses, and people that are making minimum wage because they will be paying more for the things they buy in their everyday life. It will be no different. People will be making more which is good but they will also be spending more, due to the inflation of everyday products.

Raising the minimum wage would affect many people. This quote tells the estimated amount of people that would be affected by this issue. “Some estimated that a total of 11.8 million workers may be affected directly or indirectly by the new measure.” This quote proves that the number of workers it would effect is substantial.

“Marketing sophomore Erika Elliott, a barista at Caribou Coffee on University Avenue Southeast, said she has started at $7.75 an hour. She has since had multiple raises, she said, which has made her more successful.” This says that there does not need to be a minimum wage increase, people that stay loyal and work hard will earn raises and those raises will most likely be equal to the minimum wage increase if it ever does happen.

Another issue with raising the minimum wage is, “Some businesses may reduce fringe benefits to accommodate the increase. High school dropout rates may raise due to the more attractive wage rate.” these things that these businesses are going to have to do if the minimum wage is increased is terrible.

In conclusion, people have different viewpoints on whether or not raising minimum wage would be beneficial or not. There are many reasons that it should be raised but the cons of raising the minimum wage out weigh the pros of raising it. The best thing to be done is for the minimum wage not to be increased. Let me put this in perspective, raising the minimum wage will cause Inflation, affect over 11 million people, and cause small businesses to suffer. That is not something I want and I highly doubt that's something you want. Lets not increase the minimum wage rate.

Sincerely,

Mason Kolean

Citations:

“Some estimated that a total of 11.8 million workers may be affected directly or indirectly by the new measure.”

“Some businesses may reduce fringe benefits to accommodate the increase. High school dropout rates may raise due to the more attractive wage rate.”

Hsing, Yu. "Impacts of the minimum wage increase on teenage employment." Atlantic Economic Journal, Sept. 1997, p. 329. Academic OneFile,

“Marketing sophomore Erika Elliott, a barista at Caribou Coffee on University Avenue Southeast, said she has started at $7.75 an hour. She has since had multiple raises, she said, which has made her more successful.”

"Pay hike irks employers." UWIRE Text, 26 Mar. 2014, p. 1. Academic OneFile,