The debate on whether minimum wage should be raised or kept the same is one of the big issues the United States faces. Over the years many people were comfortable with the minimum wage but prices on goods have skyrocketed and a higher pay is necessary to survive. Years ago minimum wage was $5.95 an hour, a couple years after that it was changed up to $6.00 an hour and today the minimum wage is $8.25 an hour. Minimum wage has been a huge impact on families that need the money, but some say it’s not enough. People around the city still have difficulties paying their bills due to their small income pay. (http://www.dol.gov/dol/aboutdol/history/flsa1938.htm)

The history of minimum wage started with prices always rising. The way that people saw it happening was that money didn’t have its value since prices were rising too high. The majority of workers aren’t only teenagers, but also of the age of 25. Even though the government meant to keep people above the poverty level, people still ended up the same. What the government doesn’t understand is that all these young workers are trying to help out their needy family instead of spending it all on their individual belongings.

“I want the minimum wage to raise not just because I want it to but because I need as much money as I can get. If the minimum wage does raise, I know it won’t last much. It will be too good to be true.” said Erika Alonso, a part time worker and a full time student at Morton East High School.

In an article on Economic Policy Institute it stated, “The Minimum Wage Used To Be Enough To Keep Workers Out Of Poverty—It’s Not Anymore: Raising It to $10.10 Would Lift a Family of Three Above the Poverty Line.” (http://www.epi.org/minimum-wage-workers.com) By this, the person is saying that the more the wage lowers the more poverty it will be and the harder it will become to support a family of at least three. For a person who works a full time job, the least the government can do is give them the amount of money they deserve to win. Therefore, if they did raise up the minimum wage it would show its real value to how much they’re willing to protect those who work as much as they can to get what they really deserve.

“If a family of three or more are having a hard time supporting while there is two workers in the house imagine how hard is it for me, a single mother of three! I work so much for the government to pay me minimum? Don’t really find it fair. It’s hard for me to get all the supplies my kids need especially since I’m a single mother and the prices for everything just keep on getting higher and higher, I need more money. Somebody needs to put a stop to this because is either get paid more and the prices on everything rise or continue the minimum wage and everything lowers. This will become impossible, we need more help.” said a parent of a Morton East Student

In an article on Alec-The State factor, it stated that if for some reason the minimum wage decides to get higher it will hurt “ lower-income, less-experienced and less-educated Americans. Further-more, it will place an additional burden on business, especially small business owners struggling in the current economy.” (http://www.alec.org//.pdf)