Editor:

Things are only going to get worse for local businesses in Carlsbad. (“Employers dealing with minimum wage hike,” Dec. 26). Pecos River Café owner Diana Cerny said, “I don’t agree with the minimum increasing all the time.” Unfortunately, this is exactly what will occur annually as Obama plans to index the minimum wage to inflation meaning increases every single year.

As the Obama administration drives for a $2 hike in the minimum wage, restaurant owners and their employees are going to feel the consequences. This isn’t just bad news for businesses. The unintended consequences for vulnerable employees, particularly teens and those without a high school diploma are staggering. Neighboring Arizona’s unemployment has grown 30 percent since indexing the minimum wage began in 2006! Minimum wage hikes in a struggling economy are misguided; for working New Mexicans, a job at the previous wage is better than no job at all.

Tim Miller
Employment Policies Institute
Washington, D.C