SPOKANE, Wash. — Washingtonians will see the highest minimum wage in the country soon.
The state will increase the minimum wage to $16.38 per hour on January 1, which is 54 cents more than last year.
That's also more than double the federal minimum wage, and people have mixed feelings about the annual increase because of inflation.
Many consumers are feeling the pinch, from higher prices of gas, food and even diapers right now.Â
One single mom says getting higher paychecks will definitely help with her budget right now.
"I do like the idea of minimum wage going up," Jasmin Martinez said.
Martinez has been working in the service industry for years, being a barista for 10 years and bartending on and off for about five years.
She is also a single mom to a 10-month-old baby.
"My daughter is still on formula," Martinez said. "She started to eat regular food now, so my budget is going up for formula and food."
She says she welcomes a higher minimum wage because she relies on checks.
"I rely on a lot of my checks," Martinez said. "Tips are not always consistent. It's nice to have, if my hours are guaranteed, to know what I'm going to make at the end of my pay period."
Auntie's Bookstore owner John Waite says inflation has been a major headache this year.
"We saw a big wave for our insurances," Waite said. "Business insurances... auto insurances... health care insurances so those are things that really ate us up this year."
Waite thinks, however, that an increase of minimum wage every year is necessary for both customers and employees.
"People that are working here, people have to afford to live: they have to have a house," Waite said. "They have to have a car. They have to be [able to] afford those things. I like disposable income that comes into my store and they can buy stuff."
A higher minimum wage could mean higher prices, but Martinez says it still outweighs her concern.
"When I was a barista, I knew that our supply went up shortly after our minimum wage," Martinez said. "That's going to be the same for any other businesses. When one thing goes, everything goes up to [the] counter to compensate their employees."
The change to Washington's minimum wage will start in less than five days on New Year's Day.
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