There has been considerable discussion about minimum wages lately. The city of Coeur d’Alene is considering raising the minimum wage from the present $7.25 an hour to $8.75 and then to $10.25. The question is simply this: Who would not want to see the minimum wage raised? Everyone wants more income if they can get it.

There are 2,080 hours in a working year (52 weeks X 40 hours /week). At $7.25 that amounts to $15,080; at $8.75 to $17,160 and at $10.25 to $21,320.

Now a person who is careful can live on $15,000. They can live better on $21,000. So the question remains: Who would not want to see the minimum wage raised?

A good wage is about $40,000/year, so why not raise the minimum to $20,000? It is simply this: The more you raise the minimum wage, the more people you put out of work. Few families are actually living on the minimum wage. Most minimum wage earners are high school kids who work part time or others who could find no other work.

Most are temporarily earning minimum wage. They gain some experience and go on to a better job.

If we really want to help those who are on the low income end then we ought to make it easier to go into business and stay in business. We could even eliminate child labor laws so more young people could do manual labor.

The choice, then, is higher wages and fewer jobs, or lower wages and more jobs. If we want more people to have meaningful work, then we ought to take a stand against raising the minimum wage.

JIM HOLLINGSWORTH

Hayden