Texas Minimum Wage

Minimum wage The United States has a minimum wage legislation that makes it illegal for any company to pay less than $7.25 per hour. Many states - and even some individual cities - have set local minimum salaries that are greater than the federal level. Texas has dropped, with our state’s minimum wage remaining the same as required by federal law. Early in 2020, State Representative Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) filed H.B. 290 to raise the Texas minimum wage in stages, reaching $10.10 by 2020. This year, State Representative Ron Reynolds (D-Houston) filed H.B. 60 to raise the Texas minimum wage to $15 per hour. If I was representing the Center for Public Policy Priorities, a left-leaning advocacy organization, at a lobbyist I would support raising the Texas minimum wage above the federal level. Since, the CPPP claim that low-skilled workers' salary has not increased at the same rate as their cost of living, especially for housing. In order to help pass Rep. Ron Reynold’s bill, I would use my resources as a CPPP member to support his decision. I would provide data, studies, researches, graphs and the related information gathered regarding minimum wage jobs, workers (by race, ethnicity, age, sex) who will benefit from his decision, etc. We work alongside community leaders to achieve fair policy solutions. We adapt the emphasis of our efforts to support our vision for Texas as people and situations change and evolve. We work for the wellbeing of all Texans. The Texas Restaurant Association represents both big and small restaurants throughout Texas. They have claimed that raising the minimum wage over the equilibrium level for unskilled employees will result in many of the most vulnerable people losing their employment as businesses find methods to make do with fewer of them. An example of what happens when wages rise above the natural level set by the market is self-service checkout lines in grocery stores. If I were a representative, I would use my influence to modify the bill. In my opinion, a minimum wage of $15 per hour is too high. It is also important to keep the unemployment rate low. Through the Texas Restaurant Association, I would hold meetings with the corresponding authorities to reach an agreement and pass our decision to the author of the bill. If I were a state legislator, I would acknowledge that a rise in the minimum wage is needed. However, in order to reduce the risk of unemployment in vulnerable workers I would recommend to decrease the $15 to $10.10 per hour wage. The amount that was suggested last year by State Representative Senfronia Thompson. It is because an abruptly increase in the minimum wage can harm and scare business owners. This can negatively affect the market and employment rate. Therefore, as a state legislator I recommend the minimum wage to be adjusted annually by tying it to the consumer price index. In Texas, the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour is insufficient to meet an individual's most basic living expenditures. In fact, a worker would need to work two full-time minimum-wage jobs to meet the roughly $30,000 in annual expenditures for housing, food, transportation, and health care expenses. And the situation gets even more difficult for those who are attempting to support a family. Therefore, raising the minimum wage appears to be a realistic solution for giving families better opportunities and life quality.