Minnesota Lawmaker Will Live On Minimum Wage

As legislation to raise the minimum wage to $9.95 makes its way through the Minnesota State Legislature, Rep. Jason Metsa (DFL-Virginia) is taking up Working America’s challenge to live on Minnesota’s current minimum wage for five days.

“I can’t possibly know the reality of the day-to-day struggles faced by people living on minimum wage, which is currently $7.25/hour,” he said. “But as HF 92 is considered by my fellow lawmakers, this is an attempt to better understand an economic situation most of us have never been exposed to.”

Despite old, debunked arguments by opponents of the bill, it is clear that raising wages speeds economic recovery, is good for small businesses and would help more than a half-million Minnesotans, many of whom are Working America’s nearly 300,000 members in Minnesota. The bill includes raising the wage for tipped workers—who often are left behind in discussions on minimum wage.

“It’s been very difficult to live on minimum wage,” said Working America member Avita Samuels, who works at Mall of America and lives in Saint Paul. “I appreciate these efforts to highlight what it’s like for workers like us.”