Editor,
Why should students vote in the Oct. 4 election? Well, for starters, if you work for minimum wage, this is your chance to vote yourself a raise.
One of the referenda on the ballot this year is the living wage initiative. This would raise the minimum wage in Albuquerque from $5.15 an hour to $7.50. It is up to the voters to decide whether to raise the minimum wage to the level of a living wage and lift an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 Albuquerque residents out of poverty.
Nationwide, 72 other cities have passed living wage initiatives, including Santa Fe. Big business argued the living wage would force businesses to lay off workers, but in fact, the opposite happened.
According to an article in this week's Alibi, Santa Fe gained 200 jobs after raising the minimum wage. Paying decent wages reduces employee turnover too - people are less inclined to search for another job that pays better when they're making enough where they are.
And of course, that extra money is immediately spent, and it helps invigorate the local economy.
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Ultimately, raising the minimum wage benefits everyone - the people who begin to make enough money to scrape their way out of intense poverty, and the businesses who receive that money when the workers spend it and who are less likely to lose employees.
The only mayoral candidate who supports this initiative is Eric Griego.
So even if you have no other reason to vote in the municipal elections Oct. 4, get out and vote for the living wage. It will make a real difference for thousands of people.
Kat Heatherington
UNM staff
