Minimum wage is a crucial topic in our daily lives,dictating how much people are paid when they begin working. In the state of Florida, there have been debates on raising the minimum wage to $15.00, as it may help younger kids or people who are looking for jobs in the future. These changes may affect those who already have jobs and the current taxes of citizens.

In Florida, the current minimum wage is set to be at $8.46, which may seem high when compared to Mississippi, but low when compared to Washington D.C., for example, in Washington D.C., the minimum wage is $13.25, but in Mississippi, it is $7.25. These changes are scheduled to be implemented between 2021-2026, increasing $1.00 per year after 2021, until it reaches a final $15.00 in September of 2026. When 2026 hits, the change in wages will not be as drastic since the changes are occurring gradually. With these changes, many people who currently work will be affected as they will increase their quality and cost of living. 

Along with the pay increases affecting people in Florida, they may play a large part in how much the government taxes citizens. Currently, in Florida, the tax rate is six percent, and with the wage changes the government may end up raising it in order to cope with the increasing amount that citizens will be getting paid.

“The prices will increase in order to sustain the pay for new and current employees, which can be good for people who are getting paid the new minimum wage, but also bad for people who may not be getting paid as much,” said junior Andrea Rivera.

These increases could negatively affect  people who are paid closer to the current minimum wage because it will  inhibit them from being able to afford everyday items;Stores will need to raise their prices in order to have the funds to pay their employees. Along with groceries and other products elevating in price, real estate and cars will also face a markup, as people will have more money to spend on them and companies will make sure they use that to their advantage. “Everything will still cost the same because we will be making more money but things are more expensive. I feel like doubling minimum-wage would emotionally and mentally affect people because it would make them feel like they were making more money than they really were, but in reality they are just paying more money for other things to compensate,” said senior Zoe Routson.

Minimum wage can cause a great amount of controversy, as people earn more, prices will go up, along with taxes. In the 2020 elections, the vote for the minimum wage will occur. If the vote results as a yes, then the minimum wage will continue to increase over the next 5 years. In the upcoming years, people will continue to notice the effects of the minimum wage increase.