When Virginians awoke to a new year, some also awoke to a pay raise.
The month’s start saw the state’s minimum wage bump up from $9.50 to $11 an hour, much like the rise from $7.50 that occurred last May. The recent law that’s creating these changes lays out further increases; 2023 will see the minimum wage expand to $12, then $13.50 in 2025 before ending at $15 in 2026.
Former Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who signed the legislation during his tenure, tweeted that it was “the long overdue pay raise [Virginians] deserve.” However, some consider it lacking.
“Great news, but 2026 is a long ways away and inflation isn’t stopping,” wrote one commenter under the tweet. Another added: “Poverty wages will continue. The minimum wage should be $15 today, not in 5 years.”
While some find issues with the timeframe, others want to halt it completely.
According to The Richmond Times-Dispatch, this week saw a Republican effort to overturn the minimum wage legislation in the Virginia Senate. Democrats denied it, with Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw (D-Va.) pointing out how minimum wage hasn’t been adjusted to inflation increases since the 1970s.
Inflation — which alters the purchasing power of currency — can be partially to blame for the minimum wage becoming more antonymous to a living wage. It rocketed to historic highs during the pandemic — at 7% in December — lessening how much a minimum wage can afford.
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