LETTER: Raising the Minimum Wage Kills Jobs and Causes Inflation

"MINIMUM WAGE....YEAH!"

Once again the legislature is doing its best to avoid the REAL issues facing Connecticut, like the fiscal mess we are in and the lack of jobs statewide – both issues they have created and continue to cause.

Raising the minimum wage has little effect on businesses like Walmart or Costco. It affects the neighborhood florist, barber, retail store owner, local restaurant. It helps to kill Main Street and makes doing business around Enfield, like the Thompsonville Village Center, just that much harder.

Minimum wage jobs are entry level and are not suppose to be “life-long” positions. They are “start-up” positions that provide work force experience to the unskilled while they acquire on the job training or while they work toward other aspirations.

Raising the minimum wage kills jobs and causes inflation. Many of the legislators who voted for the minimum wage bill (including Rep. Tallarita and Rep. Kiner) may have forgotten, they also voted for the 77 new taxes which minimum wage earners also have to pay. If they were really concerned about "living wages" they should have focused on making Connecticut more affordable.

Tom Sirard
Enfield
The writer is a candidate for the 58th House seat.