Gaston Gazette: Who benefits by raising the minimum wage?

By Ragan Robinson
Gaston Gazette (NC), August 4, 2012

... Reporter inboxes filled with releases from Business for a Fair Minimum Wage last week, applauding new federal legislation to raise the minimum wage to $9.80 in three years.

Minimum wage workers have less buying power than they had 50 years ago, the group said. ...

The think tanks can argue this one, but any way you slice it, the Americans who earn the least would see more income from an increase in the minimum wage.

“I know the last time we had an increase in minimum wage our employees seemed pretty happy about that,” said Jeff Stanton, whose family company Stanton Enterprises operates local McDonald’s restaurants.

Even employers who don’t support an increase in the baseline wage will say the demographics are changing.

“The mix of people who make minimum wage is changing,” said Mark King, who owns Kingsway Convenience Stores and Gastonia’s two Dairy Queens.

“Some people do what they have to do.” ...

Full story:
http://www.gastongazette.com/articles/wage-74011-minimum-idea.html