Minnesota’s economy has changed — but our wage systems haven’t.
Inflation rises year after year, quietly increasing the cost of housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and insurance. Yet most workers’ pay stays flat unless they change jobs, negotiate aggressively, or get promoted.
That means even full-time workers lose buying power over time — not because they did anything wrong, but because the system assumes wages will “catch up” on their own.
Minimum wage increases help low-wage workers, but they do not address the reality facing middle-income households who are already above minimum wage yet still struggling to keep up.
I support requiring automatic annual wage adjustments tied to Minnesota’s inflation rate, combined with modest real wage growth.
This means:
Inflation does not quietly reduce take-home pay
Workers don’t fall behind simply for staying in the same job
Employers and employees both benefit from predictability
This is not about massive wage spikes or economic shock — it’s about maintaining purchasing power so wages reflect reality.
Why This Approach Works
Inflation already impacts businesses — wages should reflect it transparently
Automatic adjustments reduce turnover and renegotiation pressure
Predictable wage growth helps families plan housing, childcare, and retirement
Inflation should never function as a hidden pay cut.
If the cost of living goes up, your paycheck should too.