Almost 2,000 Jobs Would Be Lost In Milwaukee Alone
June 18,2014
Earlier this year, Rep. Corey Mason (D-Racine) and other state democrats introduced a bill that would increase the minimum wage in Wisconsin from the current $7.25 to $10.10 an hour. Today, the Wisconsin Restaurant Association published a study, conducted by economist David Macpherson of Trinity University that shows the impact the proposed $10.10 minimum wage would have on the Wisconsin workforce.
According to the study it is estimated that there would be a total of 16,500 jobs lost. Of these 16,500 minimum wage jobs lost, 11,070 would come from workers 21 years or younger and 9,200 women would lose their jobs.
In 2012, Macpherson along with William Even of Miami University, published a separate report for the MacIver Institute that measured the affects of recent minimum wage increases in Wisconsin. From 2002 to 2012, the minimum wage in Wisconsin went from $5.15 an hour to $7.25. According to Macpherson and Williams, this minimum wage increase caused a 27.7% higher unemployment rate for workers ages 16-19 and 7,000 jobs were lost.
In the most recent study, Macpherson also noted that an increase to a $10.10 minimum wage would impact the wages of 34,000 state and local government employees. A $10.10 increase would cost Wisconsin taxpayers over $69 million dollars annually.
To read the full report click here.