On the heels of news that D.C. voters will likely have the opportunity to vote in a $15 minimum wage in November 2016 (see the Washington Post's story here, from last week), an analysis from Brookings takes on claims from business that the region can't afford it. The short answer from Brookings is that we can, based on current wages and an economist's benchmark recommending a minimum wage of half the local median wage. The piece notes that D.C. would join several other major cities in this push, including Seattle, San Francisco, L.A., and Chicago. New York state is moving in a similar direction for fast food workers. Read the Brookings piece here.
