Today, the State Journal-Register published a Guest Column
editorial which cited a recent Seattle minimum wage
study, which can actually be
found in full at NBER via the link. The Guest Column is a typical ideological, propaganda mish mash advocating against any raising of the minimum wage ($7.25 nationally, $8.25 in Illinois), which, if the national minimum wage
had kept pace with inflation, would be $10.10, which is less than a living wage for one adult in Springfield, Illinois (Sangamon County), which is a relatively inexpensive metropolitan area, as can be seen with this Living Wage
calculator from MIT (choose state then county).
While the University of Washington study has stirred attention and
deserves consideration, it has also been the subject of critical economic analysis which has raised serious data limitation and