The working class deserves a living wage now more than ever

By Ebony Purks, Staff Writer | March 23, 2020 Since 2007, the federal minimum wage has been stagnant at $7.25 per hour. Since then, minimum wage has lagged while cost of living has steadily increased. Essentials like food, education, medical care and homes have become more expensive. For example, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the average price of a new home in January 2000 was $194,800. According to an inflation calculator, that price in January 2020 would be $297,705. Keeping minimum wage at $7.25 doesn’t allow minimum wage workers to keep up with inflating prices. Many live paycheck to paycheck or must work second jobs to make ends ...