Arizona’s minimum wage received another boost at the start of 2020 to $12 an hour. Voters approved annual raises in 2016, when the minimum wage was $8.05 an hour. The issue of raising then minimum wage remains divisive. UA Eller College of Management economist Juan Pantano explained why its effects may not be as far-reaching in the Tucson metro.
“You actually end up seeing there’s only about 3% of workers. Given the size of Tucson, you’re talking about maybe 15,000 workers who actually get benefited. So, all this additional money that gets injected into the economy, into the spending power, is relatively small,” Pantano said.
Arizona 360 airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on PBS 6 and Saturdays at 8 p.m. on PBS 6 PLUS. See more from Arizona 360.
By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.