Lawmakers consider minimum wage increase

The State Assembly is preparing to vote on raising the minimum wage again.

Minimum wage was raised to $8 an hour in California in 2008.

Now, some lawmakers want to raise it to $8.25 next year and then gradually to $9.25 by 2016.

More money for low-wage earners may sound like a good idea but, some economists say the change would be bad for our economy.

Economist Mark Schniepp said “you raise the minimum wage, you raise the unemployment because firms don’t want to hire at a higher cost. They are going to keep what they spend on labor constant.”

Because the state’s economy is still recovering, many political analysts say the bill is unlikely to pass.