Uploaded May 12, 2014After a lengthy debate, Hawaii lawmakers voted April 29 to raise the state's hourly minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 over a course of four years. The decision came after long discussion about rising income inequality and the high cost of living in the state of Hawaii. The changes to minimum wage will begin next year, with a $0.75 increase annually until it reaches $10.10 in 2018, according to Rueters. The wage increase will affect all workers including those that earn tips. Hawaii State Senator Clayton Hee said of the changes, "Even at $10.10, that's the minimum wage. The gross income earning is $21,000 in a state where the median income price of a house is $385,000," according to kitv.com. California, Maryland, Connecticut, and Washington D.C. have also voted to gradually raise their states' hourly minimum wage. Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie is optimistic about the changes. He said, “I commend our legislators for advancing the proposal to raise Hawaii’s minimum wage to $10.10 an hour. It is imperative to provide our lowest paid workers with the economic stability and security they deserve....I look forward to working with the legislature to bring fairness to the people of Hawaii," according to kitv.com. Despite his supportive statements, the bill still awaits Abercrombie’s final signature.More than 30 percent of BYUH students work at the Polynesian Cultural Center, according to the BYUH website. The majority of BYUH student workers are paid minimum wage. Working students said they are excited about the proposed changes to the minimum wage. Macey Bell, a sophomore in biochemistry from Arizona, works at the BYUH Fitness Center. When told of the increase in minimum wage, she said, “That is so amazing. I’ve been working so hard to get a promotion so I can get a raise, because getting paid $7.25 an hour is hard for a college student in Hawaii, especially when I don’t get paid tips. Raising the minimum wage will help me and everyone here that works so much.”Emma Fisher, a future BYUH student, was relieved to hear of the changes in wage. She said, “The cost of living in Hawaii is higher than where I live right now, so I know that it will be beneficial for me, especially because I plan on getting a job that will most likely pay minimum wage. It will definitely make it a lot easier to transition to working in Hawaii.”
Writer: Emily Halls ~ Multimedia Journalist
