Employees across Missouri will see minimum wage increase

Missouri’s minimum wage will increase by 75 cents on Tuesday after 60 percent of voters passed Proposition B in November.

According to the bill, minimum wage will increase another 85 cents each year until it reaches $12 in 2023. Starting Tuesday, minimum wage will rise to $8.60 from $7.85 per hour.

Columbia Mayor Brian Treece said increasing minimum wage will be beneficial for the city of Columbia and the state.

“This is great for our economy. No one is getting rich on $8.60 an hour, but what it does do is put more money back into the economy,” Treece said.

He said he is not worried about inflation because prices are already going up no matter what, and this is a gradual phase-in process.

“The more that we can put more money into the paychecks of those hard-working family wage-earners, the more money that they’re going to spend in our economy,” Treece said.

He said those families will have more of a disposable income.

“It helps push more money through our economy,” Treece said. “Every economic study shows that it’s a great way for businesses to retain the best employees possible.”