Santa Fe, known for its unique culture, is implementing a pioneering ordinance to combat a housing affordability crisis by directly linking wages to both consumer prices and fair market rent. This groundbreaking approach, which will raise the minimum wage to $17.50 by 2027, aims to help approximately 9,000 workers, or about 20% of the city’s workforce, afford to live in Santa Fe. City officials are also pursuing additional strategies like increased housing permits and a mansion tax to ensure the city’s diverse population can continue to thrive. Ultimately, this effort represents a critical step in preserving Santa Fe’s identity as “The City Different”.
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More concerning than lavish parties amidst economic hardship is the reliance of 42 million Americans on SNAP benefits. This reliance stems from the federal minimum wage, stagnant at $7.25 for 16 years, failing to keep pace with rising costs and the economic realities faced by full-time workers. While proposals like the “Raise the Wage Act of 2025” aim to increase the minimum wage, its failure to increase in 16 years sends a powerful message that the government does not prioritize workers, thereby increasing the dependence on federal assistance programs.
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The German government has greenlit a historic minimum wage increase, the largest in the nation’s history. This rise will unfold in two phases, commencing on January 1, 2026, when the minimum wage will climb from €12.82 to €13.90 per hour. Further increasing on January 1, 2027, the wage will reach €14.60 per hour, impacting the approximately six million workers currently earning minimum wage.
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John Q. Hosedrinker