Ben Gitis of the American Action Forum explains why some voters heading to the polls Tueday could be choosing to destroy jobs.
… [V]oters in Arizona, Colorado, Maine, and Washington will decide on whether their respective states will raise the minimum wage for all workers. Specifically, residents in Arizona, Colorado, and Maine will consider increasing the minimum wage to $12 per hour and residents in Washington state will vote on increasing the minimum wage to $13.50 per hour. While proponents of these measures hope they will improve the welfare of low-wage workers, American Action Forum (AAF) research has consistently shown that proposals to raise the minimum wage often hurt those they intend to help by increasing joblessness among low-skilled workers and failing to deliver income gains to those who actually need assistance. So, what would happen in these states if each measure were approved? These minimum wage increases would come at a total cost of 290,000 jobs. …
… While initiatives to raise the minimum wage are popular, it is important to understand that they have a cost. The low-wage, low-skill workers who labor advocates want to help are the very workers who bear this cost, as hundreds of thousands would be unable to maintain their current job or attain a new one. And the evidence is all too obvious. In 2015, for instance, major cities that began implementing minimum wage increases suffered substantial declines in restaurant employment growth. These consequences will likely not be any different in Arizona, Colorado, Maine, or Washington.
