I believe raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour will be bad for small businesses. After reading your article by William J. Ford, “MD Business Community Pushes Lawmakers on $15 Minimum Wage,” in the March 16, 2017, edition, I am really sure of it now. There is no way small businesses can afford to pay unskilled workers $15 an hour and stay in business. A minimum wage is just what is says it is; it’s not something for skilled workers, it’s for unskilled, just-entering-the-job-market workers. I got a job when I graduated form high school, and it was paying the minimum wage. My summer job while in college paid the minimum wage. I think it’s bad to force a business owner to pay employees a certain amount if the job skill does not warrant it. It should be left up to the business owner to determine what they pay employees. If they want to keep good employees, they will have to pay them.
Raymond Daniels
Fort Washington, Md.
WI Staffers Exemplify Professionalism
I am writing this letter in the hope that your publisher, Denise Rolark Barnes, sees it. I was at an event recently and there was a reporter and a photographer who identified themselves as being from The Washington Informer. I have to say after watching them perform their jobs, I was quite impressed with their professionalism. I can now see why The Informer provides great articles and photographs. Mrs. Rolark Barnes, if these two individuals are an indication of the quality of staff you have working at The Informer, you should feel very proud of how they are representing you and your newspaper.
James Hawthorne
Washington, D.C.