DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has signed a new law that will raise the city’s minimum wage nearly five dollars. By 2020, workers in Washington D.C. will make a minimum of $15 an hour, starting with a rise to $11.50 this July, according to FOX5. 

“By fighting for, and winning a $15 minimum wage, 127,000 DC workers are about to receive a pay increase as a direct result of today’s historic legislation,” the DC for $15 campaign said in a statement. “We are helping to put more money in the pockets of hard working families so it will be easier to make ends meet in a city as expensive as ours. This means that people who work for low-wage jobs are going to see their pay go up by about $140 a week or $560 a month. This is huge. It will now be a little easier for families to pay rent, put food on the table and care for their children.”

While many local business owners are supportive of the change, they also addressed concerns of how it’ll affect the local economy.

“We have line cooks, we have servers and bussers and things like that,” said  Surfy Rahman, co-owner of a local Indian restaurant called Indique. “Some places, they may combine [duties]. The servers may have to take additional responsibilities of the bussers. My worry is that I hope it doesn’t affect the customer service.”

While many around the rest of the country hope for a similar rise in the minimum wage, all eyes are sure to be on the nation’s capitol and the other 18 states that have chosen to do so to see how things move forward.

President Barack Obama released the following statement:

 “I commend the District of Columbia, Mayor Muriel Bowser, and the Council of the District of Columbia for raising the District’s minimum wage. Since my first call to raise the wage in 2013, 18 states and D.C. have taken action – action that will help over 7 million American workers. In addition, nearly 50 cities and counties – as well as many of our leading businesses – have acted on their own to boost wages for thousands more workers.  That’s progress. But we must continue to build on that progress – because no American working full-time in this country should struggle to make ends meet.  That’s why as long as I hold this office, I will continue to fight for hardworking Americans. And I will keep urging Congress to raise the federal minimum wage, so that all Americans have a fair shot to get ahead. America deserves a raise.”

With a growing homeless population, perhaps working on a minimum wage salary will serve the purpose it’s meant to and provide people with a satisfactory income to put a roof over their heads and food on the table.

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