Letter: Wage hike will not work as expected

Thursday, Jan. 11, 2007 | 7:03 a.m.

One has to wonder where people such as letter writer Tom Harper learned their economics. He claims in his Jan. 10 letter that raising the minimum wage will enable many families to avoid falling below the poverty line. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Look up the word minimum. Regardless of what figure the minimum wage is set at, these workers will still be at the bottom of the pay scale. All this adjustment will do is move the poverty line, an artificial number created by government-employed economists, higher.

The spending power of the minimum wage earner will not be increased, and in some instances may even be lowered. As the cost of doing business is increased, these costs will be passed on to the consumer.

Furthermore, those on fixed incomes will fall closer to, below or further below the line. Mr. Harper may consider this improving the quality of life in America. I respectfully disagree.

Jack Kirkey, Las Vegas