As Arizona's economy attempts to rebuild in 2021, there’s a new factor at play.
On Jan. 1, the minimum wage in Arizona went up again — to $12.15 an hour, and in Flagstaff, it went up to $15 an hour — a $2-an-hour increase.
The minimum wage here has risen four times in the past four years as a result of the passage of Proposition 206 in 2016. This year, the rise is due to a rise in the Consumer Price Index.
The rise in the minimum wage has been debated here and around the country with some arguing it hurts small businesses and others arguing it's essential for workers at the bottom to make ends meet.
What will this newest raise in the minimum wage mean for Arizona's workers and businesses?
To find out, The Show spoke with Lee McPheters with Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business.
